Brown non-committal on withdrawal of troops

UNITED NATIONS: British Prime Minister Gordon Brown was non-committal on the issue of withdrawal of troops from Iraq.

"We accept and will discharge our responsibilities to the people of Iraq," Brown said when posed with a question by Iraq's UN Ambassador Hamid al-Bayati whether he would abandon Iraq and pull out British troops.

Brown, who had given no promise to American President George Bush as to how long would he keep the British troops in the troubled country, did some tight rope walking, saying his country is doing what it could.

British forces have already handed over security of three of the provinces to Iraqi forces and Brown said similar action would taken in the fourth province, Basra, depending on the military advice.

"Are you going to abandon the Iraqi people under pressure to withdraw your forces and leave the country?" Bayati asked the Prime Minister during a question-answer session after Brown had addressed the United Nations on development and climate change issues yesterday.

Britain had the responsibility for securing parts of Southern Iraq and officials expect Basra to be put under the security of Iraqi forces by the end of the year.