Gordon Brown visits Iraq

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has made an unannounced visit to Iraq. Brown says he wants to focus on security and encourage investment in Basra, Iraq's second-largest city and key oil center.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown (L) shakes hands with his Iraqi counterpart Nuri al-Maliki during their meeting in Baghdad. Brown prepared for talks on Sunday during his first visit to Israel and the West Bank since becoming prime minister in a bid to bolster peace negotiations and economic development.(AFP photot)

Brown held talks with his Iraqi counterpart Nuri al-Maliki in Baghdad on Saturday.

Brown says his country wants to cut its troops in Iraq without setting a timetable.

Gordon Brown said, "Our aim is to see the Iraqis in a position to take full responsibility for their armed forces and the policing and therefore the security of the area. Our aim is to see that there is economic prosperity moving forward, that local government elections can bring in people to run the local affairs of Basra themselves, and that we are in a position to transfer the airport. I'm not setting an artificial timetable today, but what I can say is that there is significant progress in all these areas."

Britain sent 45,000 troops to the 2003 Iraq war to topple former president Saddam Hussein. Now, only some 4,000 remain near Basra where they are training Iraqi forces.

Brown's visit coincides with Baghdad's growing confidence in its ability to secure the country.

The improved security has resulted in a flood of project proposals this year, worth tens of billions of dollars.

Brown also met with President Jalal Talabani at the presidential palace.