Britain's Blair visits Iraq to meet new government

BAGHDAD, May 22 (Reuters) British Prime Minister Tony Blair landed in Baghdad today to show support for Iraq's new government and discuss troops, as officials said they expected all foreign forces engaged in combat to leave within four years.

Iraq's national unity government -- finalised on Saturday after months of wrangling -- will accelerate the handover of security control from U.S.-led forces to Iraqis and allow London to pull some troops out by mid-year, a senior British official said.

''The aim is to take Iraq to a position where the multinational force is able to withdraw during its (the Iraqi government's) period in office,'' said the official, who was accompanying Blair on his fifth visit to Iraq since the war.

''During the four years, the present role and structure of the multinational force will change and come to an end,'' he said, adding that some troops may stay beyond the government's four-year term in a non-combat role to train Iraqis.

Blair, who flew by helicopter into Baghdad's heavily-fortified Green Zone, was meeting US and British military commanders in Iraq and members of the country's new government.

The British official, who asked not to be named, said he expected some of Britain's 7,200 troops -- who mostly patrol Iraq's south -- to withdraw in the next few months.

''We've got four provinces. I would hope at least one of our provinces is able to transfer over the summer,'' he told reporters travelling on Blair's plane.

But Basra, where most British troops are based, remained too dangerous to begin the draw down, he said. The transfer of security to Iraqi troops was most advanced in Maysan and Muthanna provinces. In Dhi Qar and Basra progress was slower.

Stability in Iraq and the withdrawal of troops would provide a welcome boost for Blair, whose popularity has plummeted over the 2003 invasion and whose authority has been undermined by weeks of bad headlines and dire local election results.

Blair's Baghdad visit precedes a trip he will make later this week to Washington, where he will discuss with U.S. President George W. Bush their future strategy for Iraq.

Washington has said it is too soon to discuss a timetable for the withdrawal of its 130,000 troops.

REUTERS CH RK1315