British and Danish hand over military base to Iraqi control

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(25 Apr 2007) • 1. Pan of Danish, Iraqi, and British troops lined up in handover ceremony • 2. Various shots of Danish troops lined up • 3. Various shots of Iraqi soldiers lined up • 4. Wide shot of British soldiers lined up • 5. Iraqi and coalition soldiers marching towards table • 6. Iraqi and British and Danish officers signing off documents • 7. Various shots of British flag being lowered as music plays • 8. British forces lined up • 9. SOUNDBITE: (English) KB Petersen, Danish General: • I am happy to mark yet another notable event that signifies the pursuit of creating a sustainable and dignified life for each and every one in Iraq. • 10. Pan of troops • 11. Iraqi and Danish general shaking hands and the Iraqi general receiving document of handover • 12. Close-up of Iraqi flag flying over the compound as Iraqi National anthem is playing • 13. Troops saluting flag • STORYLINE: • British and Danish forces in southern Iraq have handed over another military base to Iraqi troops. • The Shaibah logistics base, once the main centre of British military operations in Iraq, was turned over to the Iraqi national army on Tuesday for use as a training base. • The brief ceremony, involving British, Danish and Iraqi forces, was the latest example of the coalition's efforts to give Iraqi forces control over some parts of Iraq, as British forces plan to begin withdrawing from southern Iraq where most of them are based. • I am happy to mark yet another notable event that signifies the pursuit of creating a sustainable and dignified life for each and every one in Iraq, said Danish General KB Petersen. • Two other British bases, al-Saie and Shatt al-Arab, have been turned over to Iraqi forces in Basra, Iraq's second largest city, in the last month. • The bulk of British soldiers in the city will now operate from a British base at Basra's main airport. • British Prime Minister Tony Blair has announced that Britain will withdraw about 1,600 troops from Iraq in the next few months and plans to make more cuts to Britain's 7,100-strong contingent by late summer. • A British handover of security control in Basra is anticipated in months, but British forces have lately suffered their heaviest losses for more than two years in an intensifying battle against Shia militias in southern cities, including Basra. • • Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork • Twitter: / ap_archive • Facebook: / aparchives • Instagram: / apnews • • • You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...

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