Commenting on the premier's overall performance and busy domestic schedule Hoon told the BBC's Breakfast with Frost talk show: "That doesn't seem to me to be a prime minister who is contemplating retirement."

On Iraq, Hoon said Blair was "absolutely determined to see this job through."

"Here is a man focused, engaged on the job, determined to sort out Iraq and allow Iraq to become part of the international community again."

A survey published in the Sunday Times newspaper showed that almost half of British voters think Blair, wounded by his Iraq policy, should step down before the next general election at the end of 2005.

Hoon also brushed off media speculation that the number of British troops in Iraq, currently totaling some 8,000 soldiers, could be doubled.

"I simply do not know where they have that from," he said of a report by the Independent on Sunday to that effect.

"There has been no decision whatsoever on any fundamental increase on the numbers because the commanders on the ground today do not judge that it is necessary," he said

"But I must emphasize this is something we keep under constant review," Hoon said in reference to possible attacks in the run-up to the June 30 sovereignty handover.

"We need to be sure that the threats that have been made by the terrorists, by the fanatics to disrupt that handover cannot be achieved.

"We have a responsibility to the Iraqi people to protect them against those kinds of attacks," he said.

When asked whether the cabinet would request the parliament's approval should it decide to augment the number of troops in Iraq, Hoon said such a move was not necessary "because the authority that we have allows (us) to make that kind of adjustment as and when they are necessary."

Hoon said he was "disappointed" by remarks by former foreign secretary Robin Cook Sunday that the government must devise an exit strategy for British troops after the June 30 handover.

All rights reserved. Copyright 2003 Agence France-Presse. Sections of the information displayed on this page (dispatches, photographs, logos) are protected by intellectual property rights owned by Agence France-Presse. As a consequence, you may not copy, reproduce, modify, transmit, publish, display or in any way commercially exploit any of the content of this section without the prior written consent of Agence France-Presse.

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