THE phased withdrawal of British troops from two southern provinces in Iraq is expected to be announced as early as next week. Together with the departure of other foreign contingents, it will clear the way for the new Iraqi Government to take responsibility for security.

In a pullout over the next month, 150 Queen’s Dragoons Guards will leave Muthana province, to be followed by the beginning of the withdrawal of the British contingent of 800 to 1,000 troops in Maysan.

Although the two desert provinces are regarded as the quietest, much will be made by the British and Iraqi Governments of the symbolism of handing over to the security forces of the first elected administration.

Details of the move, to be announced by the Iraqi Government, emerged in Japan. Taro Aso, the Foreign Minister, returned from a meeting with his British, Australian and US counterparts and told reporters that “the time for bringing the SDF (self-defence forces) home was much nearer”.

Junichiro Koizumi, Japan’s Prime Minister, will follow the Iraqi statement with his own announcement on Wednesday that his country’s ground self-defence forces will leave southern Iraq, Cabinet office sources in Tokyo have confirmed to The Times.

Mr Koizumi’s decision, taken several months earlier than expected, is likely to be followed by the swift removal of Japan’s 600 troops from Samawah, in Muthana, where they have been engaged on humanitarian projects. That would allow 460 Australian soldiers who have been guarding the Japanese to leave.

British government sources refused to confirm the plan, but it is in line with promises from Tony Blair that British troops will pull out from the summer. They have already withdrawn to barracks in Muthana and Maysan in preparation for a return to Basra.

Salam Zikam Ali al-Zubaie, the Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister, confirmed that the handover was imminent. He said: “There is an agreement to take over the security responsibilities from the British, Australian and Japanese forces in southern Iraq during this month.” He did not specify a date.

Mr Blair, asked about the reports of the handover, said: “It is the very purpose of our strategy as progressively over time, as the Iraqis are capable of handling security and taking charge of their destiny. Then of course that situation will arise where we can step down as they step up to the mark. But that’s a matter for the Iraqi Government.”

The handover process is being masterminded by the Joint Committee to Transfer Security Responsibility on which British, American and Iraqi officials sit.

Nigel Blunden, a spokesman for Australia’s Defence Minister, Brendan Nelson, said: “At the moment we are there protecting the Japanese engineers, and the Japanese have indicated their intention to withdraw their contingent.”

Italy will have completed the withdrawal of its troops from Iraq within three to four months, Lorenzo Forcieri, the junior defence minister said yesterday.

Romano Prodi, Italy’s Prime Minister, has said that the whole of the Italian contingent — once the fourth largest in Iraq — will be pulled out by the end of the year.

It will be down to 1,600 men by the end of June.

Speaking on the margins of an EU summit in Brussels, Signor Prodi said that the United States was not happy about the withdrawal but would accept the decision when it was fully explained.

TROOP NUMBERS

MUTHANA

Japan about 600
Australia about 500
Britain 150

BASRA

Britain 5,500
Denmark 530
Czech Republic 100
Romania 100
Lithuania 50

DHIQAR
Italy 2,700
Romania 500

MAYSAN
Britain 1,000

Source: Ministry of Defence

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