The SDLP today welcomed a move by the British army to redeploy two battalions away from Northern Ireland.
The two infantry units, numbering 1,200 soldiers, are not resident in the North but are assigned to what is termed "Northern Ireland duty".
The SDLP's policing spokesman, Mr Alex Attwood, said the move represented "some progress but not the progress that the improving security environment merits".
Mr Axwood said: "The British government has a basis for reducing army numbers in the North, and advancing other normalisation measures."
"The announcement heralds things to come. This can be a useful step before more significant and enduring announcements."
The British army described the move as a "prudent measure" resulting from an assessment of the current security situation "and the success of the PSNI in dealing with the threat of terrorism with reduced military support".