Bush avoids tension with Blair over UN role

US President George Bush today moved to head off possible tensions in his relationship with key ally Tony Blair, conceding that the United Nations must play a “vital role” in the reconstruction of post-war Iraq.

Crucially, the US leader said that that role would involve the UN “suggesting” people for the interim Iraqi authority, the body which will run the country ahead of the formation of an elected, representative government.

Mr Bush also went out of his way to stress that the coalition’s ultimate goal was to see “the Iraqi people running their own country”.

And that message was endorsed by the British Prime Minister, who insisted that the “new Iraq” would be run not by the coalition, nor the UN, but by the Iraqi people.

The two leaders were speaking at Hillsborough Castle, near Belfast, following talks on the immediate and longer term post-conflict issues at which they were joined by British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw and US Secretary of State Colin Powell.

Mr Blair is keen that the UN should play a significant part in the reconstruction process, in order to ’internationalise’ the rebuilding effort.

’Hawks’ within the Washington administration are known to have reservations about the UN playing anything beyond a humanitarian role, their mistrust of the UN having been exacerbated by the Security Council’s failure to back a draft resolution sanctioning military action.

But following talks with Mr Blair in the gardens at Hillsborough last night and today’s discussions, Mr Bush appeared to accept the importance of the UN taking a meaningful role in the development of Iraq’s future political structure.

With Mr Straw, Mr Powell and “hawkish” US National Security Adviser Condoleeza Rice, looking on, Mr Bush told reporters that the rebuilding of Iraq would require the support and expertise of the international community.

Mr Bush went on: “We are committed to working with international institutions, including the UN, which will have a vital role to play in this task.”

Pressed on what he meant by a vital role, Mr Bush said: “A vital role is as an agent to help people live freely, that is a vital role. That means food, that means medicine, that means aid, that means a place where people can give their contributions.

“That means suggesting people for the IIA (Interim Iraqi Authority). That means being a party to the progress being made in Iraq, that’s what that means.”

In a joint written statement issued after the meeting, the two leaders reaffirmed their intention to seek the adoption of new Security Council resolutions “that would affirm Iraq’s territorial integrity, ensure rapid delivery of humanitarian relief and endorse an appropriate post-conflict administration for Iraq.”

Later, Mr Blair’s official spokesman said that while there was not yet a precise mechanism for determining the make up of the interim authority, the principle that the UN would have a say was established.

“The UN is part of the consensus building process,” the spokesman said.

Mr Bush told reporters that he did not know whether Saddam Hussein had survived a bomb attack on a Baghdad restaurant last night, where the Iraqi leader was believed to be meeting his two sons.

But Mr Blair’s spokesman said later: “There is fairly good intelligence that they were there. Whether that intelligence is right, let’s see.”

In the immediate aftermath of Saddam’s fall, the coalition plan is for Iraq to be run by a team headed by retired US General Jay Garner.

After some months that is due to hand over to the Interim Iraqi Authority, made up largely of Iraqi opposition leaders assisted by US advisers. That in its turn will be superseded by an elected representative government.

Both Mr Blair and Mr Bush were keen to emphasise that the ultimate objective was for Iraqis to run their own affairs.

Mr Blair told reporters: “This new Iraq that will emerge is not to be run either by us, or indeed by the UN, that is a false choice. It will be run by the Iraqi people.

“We are of course agreed that there will be a vital role for the UN in the reconstruction of Iraq. But the key is that Iraq in the end should be governed by the Iraqi people.”

Mr Bush added: “The Iraqi people are capable of running their own country ... and that is precisely what is going to happen.”

The two leaders also discussed the Middle East peace process.

President Bush said that he and Mr Blair were determined to “move toward our vision of a broader peace in that region.”

He added: “We are committed to implementing the roadmap toward peace, to bring closer the day when two states, Israel and Palestine, live side by side in peace and stability.”