Blair warns against dangerous times ahead

BRITISH Prime Minister Tony Blair used his New Year message yesterday to warn of dangerous times ahead that could include war against Iraq and a terror attack on Britain.

He also said the world would not become a safer place unless world leaders revived the Middle East peace process: "I cannot recall a time when Britain was confronted, simultaneously, by such a range of difficult and in some cases dangerous problems: "Iraq, and the prospect of committing UK troops to action if Saddam Hussein continues to flout international law and fails properly to disarm; the mass of intelligence flowing across my desk that points to a continuing threat of attack by al-Qaida; the lack of progress on the Middle East peace process which has the potential to wreak havoc well beyond that region; and more recently the disturbing developments over North Korea's nuclear programme."

The next key date for Iraq is January 27 when UN weapons inspectors report back to the Security Council about what signs of weapons of mass destruction they have or have not found.