"It is important to continue the dialogue and the coordination and to continue having the assistance from the international community and the multinational forces and to discuss later on a conditional reduction of forces as Iraqi forces build up," Allawi said in an interview with the BBC Breakfast with Frost program.

"It is too premature to talk about withdrawal (of multinational forces)," Allawi said. "We wouldn't like to set a time at all. We would like to have the multinational forces helping us, and training and developing both our army as well as our internal security forces."

But Allawi also made it clear that the Iraqi people would like to see their own forces tackle the security problems in Iraq.

On the planned national elections on Jan. 30, Allawi said he was not sure how many Iraqi people would be able to vote in the elections.

"I can not give you exact figures, but definitely the mood is to go ahead full speed," he said, claiming that the coming elections would put an end to the country's bloody violence.

"We are determined to move ahead with the political process, weare determined to move on to democracy. This will defeat the objectives of our enemies in trying to undermine us," Allawi added.