Royal Navy pull-out leaves Iraq oil exposed

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About 700 British soldiers and sailors were supposed to stay on after the official end of the UK's combat mission on Sunday until their Iraqi replacements were capable of defending the country's oil platforms and pipelines.

But Navy trainers have had to suspend their work after negotiations between London and Baghdad collapsed. Two British ships had to sail out of Iraqi waters last weekend because they had no legal remit to remain.

It raises concerns over the security of the oil platforms and pipeline off the southern port of Umm Qasr, which have been under British protection since 2004.

Iraqi ministers approved a draft accord only yesterday after weeks of negotiations, but it still has to go before parliament, which is notoriously slow in passing legislation.

The Ministry of Defence said the delay in finalising the deal was due to the complexity of the negotiations. Until it is ratified by the Iraqi parliament, Royal Navy trainers must start preparing to leave the country.

Lieutenant-General Chris Brown, the top British military official in Iraq, was expected to stay on in the country for a year, but is now set to return at the end ofnext month.

Liam Fox MP, the Conservative defence spokesman, said: "It is hard to believe that this situation could not have been sorted out through diplomatic channels in time and avoided. But there must be a suspicion that the Government is so consumed with their internal problems that they have overlooked this."

The Royal Navy had trained about 2,000 Iraqi sailors and marines so far, but that number is not adequate to ensure the safety of the country's strategic and economically vital oil infrastructure. The US military has warned it would be unable to fill the void left by the withdrawal of the two British ships, a frigate and auxiliary vessel.