Blair in Baghdad sees "new beginning"

BAGHDAD, May 22 (Reuters) British Prime Minister Tony Blair met Iraq's new premier in Baghdad today and said Iraq was at a ''new beginning'' after a process since the 2003 invasion that he admitted had been ''longer and harder'' than he had hoped.

''It's been longer and hard than any of us would have wanted it to be but this is a new beginning,'' Blair told a joint news conference in the fortified Green Zone.

He highlighted the involvement of all Iraq's communities in the new national unity government sworn in on Saturday.

Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki said he was keen to press on with Iraqi forces taking over security from US and British troops but said they would need more training yet.

Earlier, a British official said foreign troops could be effectively out of Iraq in four years, the clearest indication of a timetable yet from the two main allies who invaded to topple Saddam Hussein three years ago.

REUTERS PG PM1611