UK expects to hand over Basra airport next year

Britain's defense secretary says he expects British troops to hand over their last major base in Iraq to local forces by the end of next year.

John Hutton says that if all goes well, the handover of Basra's airport would take place by the end of 2009. Britain has about 4,000 troops based at the airport on the outskirts of Iraq's second city.

Hutton says he is optimistic about the situation in Basra, where security is ''significantly better'' than in recent years.

Read the full article on the Hong Kong Standard's web site here