Blair on the possibility of withdrawing forces from Iraq in 2006

The British prime minister Tony Blair stressed that the withdrawal of the British forces from Iraq might start in 2006 but under the condition that the Iraqi forces will be able to ensure security.

Blair told journalists after a meeting at the headquarters of the Cabinet with the Iraqi vice president Adel Abdul Hadi that it is very reasonable to talk about the possibility of withdrawing the forces next year but under the condition of completing the mission assigned to it, noting the progress achieved by the Iraqi security forces.

The US Department of State said yesterday when asked "concerning Iraq and the controversy over the intelligence that led to the war in Iraq, how this controversy will affect the presence of the American troops there?Ê And could this hasten the withdrawal of the American troops from Iraq?"

Spokesman Adam ERELI said " You've just had a UN Security Council resolution passed that extends the mandate of the multinational force for another 12 months.Ê I think that gives the answer to your question, frankly.Ê If you look at that resolution, it lays out what the mission of the MNF-I is, what the terms that it operates under in Iraq are and, frankly, the way forward.Ê But the basic principles are they're in Iraq because the Iraqis have asked for them to be there.Ê And number two, they are -- their goal is to help develop Iraqi capability to provide for Iraqi security so that eventually there won't be the need for foreign troops to do that and that's the trajectory we're all on.Ê But as our senior officials have repeatedly made clear, we're not prepared to talk about a timetable -- specific timetable for that because it depends on how the Iraqis are doing and it depends on what the Iraqis feel is necessary and appropriate at a given time and all that hasn't been determined yet...You know, I think that -- the United States and the British and I believe the rest of the members of Multinational Force are all on the same page on this, that we are there at the invitation to the Iraqis.Ê We are there to help support the Iraqis secure their country and defeat the insurgency.Ê That as part of that effort, we are working diligently to train and equip and stand up -- help stand up an effective Iraqi security force, police and army.Ê And that as they do that, as they get stood up, we will, in turn stand down.Ê Again, we are not speaking of a specific timetable and I wouldn't want to preview dates with you because, frankly, I'm not in a position to do that...I think that the British and us both are operating on the same principles.Ê Both are operating in concert with one another along the lines that I've just described... Irrespective of how those remarks are reported, the point you should take away from this briefing is that the British and Americans are on the same page, the same goals, and the same way of getting there."

For his part, the Iraqi President Jalal al-Talibani announced in Vienna that the withdrawal of the British forces deployed in Iraq will be taking place gradually.

In a press conference following talks with the Austrian President, the Iraqi president explained that the British forces can have a gradual withdrawal by the end of 2006. He added that this withdrawal is just a possibility.