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Blair Visits the Middle East

British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, landed in Baghdad Sunday morning, in a visit intended to show support of the Iraqi government. Blair arrived via Cairo in a Royal British Air Force plane, and held a press conference together with Iraqi Prime Minister, Nouri Kamel al-Maliki, shortly after. A spokesperson for Blair said that this visit, Blair`s 6th to Iraq since the war began, was intended to emphasize the true support in the Iraqi government and its Prime Minister. The spokesperson also added that the visit was also intended to show that Britain is committed to the process of peacemaking in Iraq. Blair`s visit wasn`t made public until after he landed in Baghdad. Blair also met with Iraqi President, Jalal Talabani.

After his meetings in Iraq Blair flew to Basra, there he visited a British military base. Balir said that the process of transferring security responsibility from British soldiers to Iraqis was going well. About 7,000 British soldiers are posted in the region, especially in the area around Basra. The British military force is the second largest military force in Iraq after the American military. Since the war started 120 British soldiers were killed in action in Iraq. Officals in London say that Britain is expected to take its forces out of Iraq next year.

After his visit to Iraq Blair visited in the United Arab Emirates after which he visited Israel and Palestine were he met with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and other Israeli officials. The next day Blair met with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.