London, Sept 23, SPA --Prime Minister Gordon Brown is expected to indicatetoday that Britain could be prepared to scale back itsindependent nuclear deterrent in the long-term interest of achievinga "nuclear-free world.", according to dpa. In a speech to the United Nations General Assembly, Brown isexpected to say that Britain could be ready to cut its sea-basedTrident submarine system from a fleet of four to three. He would then make the proposals to the Security Council onThursday. "If we are serious about the ambition of a nuclear-free world wewill need statesmanship, not brinkmanship." The number of missiles carried by the submarines will remainunchanged. In London, government officials stressed that maintenanceof an independent nuclear deterrent remained "non-negotiable." The opposition Liberal Democrats said Brown's proposals did "notgo far enough." The move comes at a time when Britain is debating the fall-out ofthe economic crisis and the high level of public debt as a result oflast year's huge bank bail-out scheme.--SPA www.spa.gov.sa/702498