- Title: UK: Iraq president sees UK troop withdrawal in 2006
- Date: 14th November 2005
- Summary: BASRA, IRAQ (FILE - SEPTEMBER 13, 2005) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF BRITISH SOLDIERS AND IRAQI POLICE AT SCENE OF ATTACK
- Embargoed: 29th November 2005 12:00
- Keywords:
- Topics: International Relations
- Reuters ID: LVA60GX7993FREHQWJZFWO291Y4W
- Story Text: British troops could leave Iraq by the end of next year, Iraqi President Jalal Talabani said on Sunday (November 13) "We don't want British forces forever in Iraq. In my opinion in the next year we'll be able to reach agreement with British government to withdraw forces, within one year. I think at the end of 2006," Talabani told ITV's Jonathan Dimbleby programme. Talabani also said, however, that an immediate withdrawal of foreign forces would be a "catastrophe" for Iraq and would lead to civil war. Iraqis are working on training their own soldiers and police to take full control of security of their country and fight a Sunni Arab insurgency that has killed thousands of people since 2003's U.S.-led invasion. Britain, which has about 8,000 soldiers in Iraq, has said it will start to pull out its troops as soon as local forces think they can maintain security but London has so far declined to set a timetable. British forces are stationed mainly in southern Iraq, which had been more stable than some other regions, but violence has also risen there in the last few months. Britain's top army general Sir Mike Jackson agreed it was possible that soldiers could leave within the next year or so, but warned against giving a firm date for a pull-out. Iraqis vote on December 15 to elect a national parliament to a four-year term. Talabani had also told reporters in Rome on Saturday (November 12) it might be possible to agree on the withdrawal of foreign troops by the end of 2006.
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