Sepcial Report: Tension accelerates in Iraq  

British Prime Minister Tony Blair (File photo)

  LONDON, May 22 (Xinhua) -- British Prime Minister Tony Blair arrived in Baghdad on Monday in an unannounced visit for talks with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, said his office in London.

    Blair was in Iraq to "meet the prime minister and members of the government," a spokesman at his office said.

    Blair, the first world leader to visit Iraq since the new Iraqi government was sworn in on Saturday, flew in the heavily-fortified "Green Zone" in Baghdad by helicopter. The two leaders were expected to hold a joint news conference later of the day.

    The British leader, whose country contributed around 8,000 soldiers in the U.S.-led coalition forces, had hailed the formation of the government in Iraq as a "huge step forward."

    He said last weekend the coalition forces hope to transfer their duties to the Iraqis as soon as possible, but British troops were willing to remain in the country for as long as they are needed. Enditem