Blair tells Bush, we are determined to win

Tony Blair has declared that his determination to see through the war against terrorism is as strong now as it was on September 11.

Standing in the White House, side by side with George W Bush, he said the cause was just.

He added that the strategy was there, and the determination.

Britain's Prime Minister commented: "There is a complete and total commitment to make sure we see this thing through."

He was speaking after a first round of talks with Mr Bush, before later going into a private meeting over dinner in Washington on his whistle stop visit to the American capital.

The Prime Minister added: "We have discussed humanitarian issues and we make sure we are doing everything we possibly can to help the people of Afghanistan.

"We have discussed also the reconstruction of Afghanistan, how we make sure that after the present Afghanistan regime is out of the way, that we work for a broad-based regime.

"We have also discussed how important it is that at this moment in time we carry on building this strong coalition against international terrorism in all its different forms. I believe that coalition is stronger now than it has ever been."

Mr Bush warned again that the conflict may be a long haul, saying: "This is a struggle that's going to take a while and it's not one of those 'Kodak moments', it is a long struggle and a different kind of war."

The President also spoke of "our great compassion for the innocents in Afghanistan" saying: "We must feed the people."