A report on demilitarisation in the North by the Independent Monitoring Commission has found that Britain has three times as many soldiers in Northern Ireland as was envisaged for peacetime.
The IMC said that 14,600 soldiers are currently deployed in the province compared to a peak of 22,000 in 1972.
The British and Irish governments had said troop levels should fall to 5,000 during peacetime, and that they hoped that could be achieved by April 2005.
The IMC plays a key role in plans to revive the suspended power-sharing executive at the heart of the Good Friday Agreement.
Under that deal, Britain pledged to begin to withdraw troops and close watchtowers and army bases.
The IMC said the number of army spy towers had dropped to nine from 19 five years ago, while military bases had fallen to 24 from 32.
