UK's Brown committed to strong US ties-minister

WASHINGTON, May 23 (Reuters) Britain's next prime minister, Gordon Brown, wants a strong relationship with Washington and will not set an arbitrary date for pulling troops out of Iraq, the British defense minister said.

Defense Secretary Des Browne said Brown ''believes that the future of Iraq is crucial to the Middle East and indeed to the world.'' Brown will take over the British premiership on June 27 from Tony Blair, who is stepping down after 10 years in power.

Blair's reputation at home has been damaged by the Iraq war and by his close ties with President George W. Bush, leading to speculation that Brown will want British troops out of Iraq and pursue a cooler relationship with Washington.

But the defense minister said Brown ''is a strong Atlanticist who firmly believes in the importance of the existence of a strong relationship between the UK and the US.'' He noted Brown, currently Britain's chancellor of the exchequer, or finance minister, had already visited Iraq and would visit again ''at the first opportunity.'' ''Our forces are doing good work out there. The chancellor believes, as I do, that we shouldn't put an arbitrary date on withdrawing them,'' Browne told reporters in Washington.

''He is of the view that the future direction there is clear, that we need to continue the process of handing over to the Iraqis,'' he said.

Blair said in February that Britain would withdraw around 1,600 troops from Iraq by September as they hand over security duties to Iraqi forces. About 5,500 British troops, who are based mainly southern Iraq, would remain in the country.

Reuters SLD GC2225