Downing Street has maintained an "underlying symmetry" to British and American policy in Iraq despite renewed speculation that prime minister Tony Blair intends to begin troop withdrawals before leaving office in the summer.
Foreign secretary Margaret Beckett played down a newspaper report yesterday suggesting Mr Blair will announce within weeks plans to bring some 3,000 troops home by the end of May - reducing the British commitment from a current 7,200 to 4,500.
At the same time, Ms Beckett reinforced the impression given by Mr Blair on Wednesday, asserting that British forces were successfully controlling violence in Basra and that there was no intention to send more troops "at the present time".
To the contrary, Ms Beckett made clear: "We are hoping to continue to make progress in dealing with the situation in Basra and give more responsibility to Iraqi forces there."
Ms Beckett's further clarification of the British position came as she welcomed President Bush's decision to send another 21,500 troops to Baghdad, despite renewed warnings from the Liberal Democrats and others that the planned American "surge" could lead to a "displacement" of terrorist activity and impact negatively on the planned reduction in the British commitment.
Senior British and American sources dismissed this forecast, supporting Mr Blair's view that British and US forces are facing different situations, while both serving the same goal of building the Iraqi government's capability in military and economic terms.
With the Iraq war and its aftermath set to define Mr Blair's "legacy", yesterday's Daily Telegraph report placed the planned troop reductions in the context of "an intended signal of the achievements the British have made in Iraq" before Mr Blair finally steps down from office.
However, while the newspaper might "speculate" about timing, Ms Beckett insisted any drawdown of British forces would depend on the security situation in Basra and the ability of the Iraqis to assume control there.
"Nothing has changed from what we have said in the past," she said.
Asserting an "underlying symmetry" to British and American policy, Mr Blair's official spokesman also insisted no decisions would be taken before operations in Basra were completed and assessed.
Meanwhile, while declaring himself "very sceptical" about the latest US initiative, Conservative shadow foreign secretary William Hague reminded Mr Blair that the completion of the Basra operation will see the opposition renew its demand for an independent inquiry into the war.