Troop withdrawal on track in Iraq: US envoy

The United States is on track to pull out troops from Iraq regardless of the outcome of the upcoming elections, which could lead to a lengthy transition of power, the U.S. ambassador said early Thursday.

"Everything is on schedule for the reduction in our forces to around 50,000 by the end of August," U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Christopher Hill told reporters on a visit to Washington.

"Our interest in the election is not in order to withdraw troops. Our interest in the election is to develop this long-term relationship," he said.

There are now some 97,000 U.S. troops stationed in Iraq, the first time the number has fallen below 100,000 since the United States invaded the country in 2003, according to the Pentagon.

The United States plans to withdraw all combat forces by the end of August and pull out the remaining 50,000 troops -- who will be in training and advisory capacities -- by the end of 2011.

Iraq holds general elections on March 7. Hill voiced confidence about the vote, saying there were no signs of a boycott by the Sunni minority that cast a pall on the last elections in 2005.

Hill said it was unclear how long it would take Iraq to form a government, but said Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki's administration was prepared for interim control.

"I don't think it's really productive at this point to speculate how long it will take -- whether it's a few weeks or whether it becomes more than a month," Hill said of government formation.

Our interest in the election is to develop this long-term relationship

U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Christopher Hill