Britain will cut troop levels in Iraq by almost 3,000 at the end of May

UK to cut 3,000 troops from Iraq by May-paper

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain will cut troop levels in Iraq by almost 3,000 at the end of May, the Daily Telegraph reported on Thursday, citing a timetable for withdrawal the newspaper said it had seen.Within the next two weeks, Prime Minister Tony Blair would announce the reduction to Britain's 7,200-strong force based in the south of the war-ravaged country, it saidThe news came as U.S. President George W. Bush prepared to outline plans to send another 21,500 U.S. troops to Iraq.A spokeswoman at Blair's office and a Ministry of Defence spokesman dismissed the Telegraph story as speculation."Our withdrawal from Iraq, we have always said it will be conditions based," the defence ministry spokesman said. "We would like to reduce our force levels as the Iraqis increase their ability to provide security for their own country."