Blair backs US over Iraq dossier

Tony Blair today refused to criticise the US over its handling of the Iraqi weapons dossier, published at the weekend.

Challenged by Liberal Democrat leader Charles Kennedy, Mr Blair said the key point was that Iraq had to comply with the UN resolution and if it did not “action must follow”.

UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan has said he believed it was “unfortunate” that Iraq’s arms declaration dossier was only distributed among the five permanent members of the Security Council.

Raising the issue at Commons question time, Mr Kennedy said: “Given that the secretary general of the UN has criticised the style and the approach of the American administration in the handling of the Iraqi dossier, do you share his criticism?”

Mr Blair replied: “I’m not aware of the circumstances that you referred to. But I can tell you both the US and the secretary general are agreed on the key question.

“This is that there is a UN resolution, it’s got to be obeyed, if there is a breach action must follow.”