Blair and Chirac agree on UN role in Iraq

Tony Blair and Jacques Chirac have agreed on the importance of the United Nations’ role after the war in Iraq, the French President’s office said today.

Mr Chirac was one of four world leaders who Mr Blair telephoned following this morning’s meeting of the War Cabinet in 10 Downing Street.

A spokesman for the Elysee Palace said that the two leaders “agreed on the importance of the role to be conferred on the United Nations after the conflict.”

But Mr Blair’s official spokesman would say only that they had “discussed a wide range of Iraq-related issues” in a “perfectly constructive” conversation.

The British Prime Minister updated Mr Chirac on his talks with US President George Bush in Camp David on Thursday, said Downing Street.

France bitterly opposed war in Iraq, threatening to use its Security Council veto to block any UN resolution authorising military action.

But it is thought that the two European partners are more closely aligned on the need for the UN to play a key role in the post-war administration of Iraq.

Both are opposed to the US-run military administration believed to be favoured by Mr Bush.

In today’s call, Mr Chirac offered his condolences for the 23 British losses in the war so far and restated his wish that military operations “end as quickly as possible and with the least damage possible,” his office said.

Mr Blair also spoke with Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar and Australian Prime Minister John Howard, who have strongly supported military action, as well as the staunchly anti-war German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, updating them all on the Camp David talks.