Brown to discuss Iraq, Iran in White House visit

WASHINGTON - Reuters - British Prime Minister Gordon Brown will visit Washington next month for talks with President George W. Bush on a range of security issues including Iraq and Iran, the White House said on Friday.

Brown and his wife, Sarah, will visit the White House on April 17, a little more than a week after Bush and Congress are expected to receive a report on progress and troop levels in Iraq from U.S. Commander in Iraq Gen. David Petraeus and U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker.

"The president looks forward to continuing his regular consultations with the prime minister on our shared goals of advancing freedom and strengthening security and democracy in Afghanistan, Iraq, and elsewhere," the White House said in a statement.

The two also will discuss "increasing international pressure on Iran to prevent it from obtaining the means to build nuclear weapons; and improving our efforts to combat international terrorism," the statement said.

Brown, who replaced Tony Blair as the British leader last summer, presented a unified front on Iraq and other security issues last July when he visited Bush soon after becoming prime minister.

Bush forged a close bond with Blair. But Brown has been keen to avoid the tag of "Bush's poodle" that undermined Blair in Britain.