UNITED NATIONS, July 16 (Reuters) - U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon warned on Monday against an "abrupt withdrawal" by U.S. forces from Iraq and said the international community must not abandon the Iraqi people.

Ban, who is due to meet U.S. President George W. Bush on a visit to Washington on Tuesday, said it was not his place to inject himself into the debate raging in Congress in recent weeks over withdrawing U.S. troops from Iraq.

"The international community, the United Nations, the whole international community should help (the) Iraqi people and government so that they can overcome this difficulty as soon as possible," Ban told a news conference at the United Nations.

"Great caution should be taken for the sake of Iraqi people," he said. "The international community can not and should not abandon them. Any abrupt withdrawal or decision may lead to a further deterioration of the situation in Iraq."

Emboldened by public opinion polls showing waning support for Bush's Iraq policy, Democrats in charge of Congress are trying to win over enough Republicans to force Bush into a shift in course and start bringing some troops home.

Ban said the situation in Iraq was a problem to be dealt with by the whole world and the United Nations would continue to make every effort on the humanitarian front.

Asked if he agreed with predecessor Kofi Annan that the Iraq war was illegal, he said it was important to "look to the future" and "not look back."

AlertNet news is provided by