UK to cut Iraq troops by "thousands" by end-2007

LONDON, Nov 27 (Reuters) Britain expects to be able to withdraw ''thousands'' of its troops from Iraq by the end of 2007, Britain's Defence Minister Des Browne said today.

Browne refused to give specific numbers, but said: ''By the end of next year I expect numbers for British forces in Iraq to be significantly lower by a matter of thousands.'' In a speech in central London, he said military planners had been working on a possible troop reduction for some months.

''I have been asking our planners to look at all the options to make sure we do not ask a single soldier to remain in Iraq longer than is necessary,'' he said.

Britain has around 7,200 troops in southern Iraq, mostly stationed in and around Basra, Iraq's second largest city. Shi'ite factions are battling each other for control of the city and British troops are sometimes attacked.

Britain has handed over to Iraqi forces control of Muthanna and Dhi Qar, two of the four southern provinces it took responsibility for after the US-led invasion in 2003. Maysan province is due to meet the conditions for handover in January.

Browne stressed that the 2007 troop reduction would only be possible if efforts to boost Iraq's own security capabilities went according to plan.

''We need to be clear that handover does not mean withdrawal,'' he added.

REUTERS PB BD1726