BASRA, Feb 8: Britain's Prince Charles paid a surprise visit to Iraq on Sunday, strolling around one of Saddam Hussein's old palaces to inspect British troops and share a traditional Arabic coffee with local dignitaries.

Under a shroud of secrecy, the prince flew into the violence-wracked country's southern port of Basra, the command centre of 10,000 British troops based in Iraq as part of the US-led coalition which ousted Saddam last year.

"We don't normally take the prince to places as dangerous as this," a spokesman for Charles told Britain's domestic Press Association news agency. "The troops need cheering up. Hopefully this will make a difference," he said.

Wearing a pale brown suit and a dark blue tie, a calm-looking Charles sipped his strong coffee while mingling with prominent Basra citizens in Saddam's old Al-Faw palace, now home to British troops and coalition officials.

The prince's lightning trip to Iraq, during which he met with troops of the Royal Regiment of Wales and the Parachute Regiment of which he is commander-in-chief, was the first stop on a four-day regional tour, officials said.

Charles flew into Basra, which has remained relatively free of the attacks that continues to trouble much of Iraq, early Sunday, meeting with staff of the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) that currently governs Iraq.

He spent 45 minutes, accompanied by Italian envoy Mario Maiolini, chatting to CPA staff and workers from the coalition before attending a reception in the palace grounds with local leaders. -AFP