British Prime Minister Gordon Brown arrived in Baghdad on Tuesday to discuss the handover of security in Basra to the Iraqi government, Iraqi state-run television reported.

This is Brown's first visit to Iraq since taking over as prime minister from Tony Blair on June 27.

He is expected to meet Iraqi leaders to discuss the readiness of the Iraqi troops to take over the responsibility of security in the southern Iraqi city of Basra, some 550 km south of Baghdad, the Iraqi television said.

According to British media reports, Brown's visit comes a week before he is to deliver a key statement on Iraq to Britain's parliament, in which he is expected to announce a major cut for the British troops in Basra province from around 5,000 to 3,000 by early next year.

(Xinhua News Agency October 2, 2007)