Baghdad: Iraq's president Jalal Talabani has welcomed the news that thousands of British soldiers are to be recalled as a “welcome catalyst'' for his country.
British Prime Minister Tony Blair announced that 1,600 troops would be sent back in the next few months, with number of soldiers in Iraq falling to as low as 5,000 before the end of the summer.
He told the UK parliament it was important to show the Iraqis that Britain did not intend their forces to stay longer than necessary.
Talabani's spokesman Hiwa Osman said: “It is a welcome catalyst for Iraqi forces to stand on their own feet and assume security responsibilities".
Mowaffak Al Rubaie, Iraq's national security adviser, added: "We would have hoped that the process would've been accelerated further and speeded up rather than be spaced out. "
The plan says that control of all bases - except for Basra air base and Basra Palace – will be handed over to the Iraqi authorities.
Talabani welcomes UK move
Talabani welcomes UK move