Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen, one of the US' staunchest allies on Iraq, on Tuesday said he was disappointed by Iraqi government efforts to combat escalating violence in Iraq and called for a new strategy to improve the situation in the country.
Speaking at a press conference the Danish prime minister branded progress in Iraq's security situation as "insufficient".
"In-depth discussions with the Iraqi government and coalition forces will be necessary in the coming months to re-evaluate the current strategy with the aim of achieving greater progress at a faster pace," Rasmussen said.
"The (Danish) government is in regular contact with its partners in the international coalition, especially the US and Britain, on the strategy (to adopt) in the coming months," he added.
Rasmussen's comments came amid growing calls for a change in the coalition's strategy in Washington.
"It is obvious the situation is unsatisfactory and it is especially disappointing that the government of national unity has still not succeeded in making the peace and reconciliation plan work," Rasmussen said.
He acknowledged the mission in Iraq had become harder than envisaged and blamed, in part, forces outside Iraq that wanted to de-stabilise the country.
Rasmussen called for the holding of an international conference to discuss the situation in Iraq and help the Iraqi government to take control of the security situation as rapidly as possible.
"It is of the utmost importance that dictatorship and tyranny do not win over democracy, to guarantee stability in the region so that a number of countries neighbouring Iraq do not take advantage of the situation to create instability," he said.
It is "crucial that there is military backing to assist the Iraqi government to establish the necessary security," he added.
Denmark has 470 soldiers serving in Iraq under British command.