Bush, Blair Fail to Settle Differences on UN Role in Iraq

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Friday, March 28, 2003

Bush, Blair Fail to Settle Differences on UN Role in Iraq

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US President George W. Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair on Thursday failed to settle their differences over the United Nations role in the administration of a post-war Iraq after a two-day summit at Camp David, Maryland.

Both leaders, however, strongly urged the United Nations to immediately restart the suspended "oil-for-food" program to provide humanitarian aid to the Iraqi people.

"The prime minister and I ... urge the United Nations to immediately resume the oil-for-food program. More than half the Iraqi people depend on this program as their sole source of food,"Bush said at a joint press conference held after his summit with Blair, the first of its kind since the war broke out eight days ago.

"This urgent humanitarian issue must not be politicized, and the (UN) Security Council should give Secretary-General (Kofi) Annan the authority to start getting food supplies to those most in need of assistance," he said.

"The immediate priority for the United Nations is, as the president was indicating a moment or two ago, the oil-for-food program," Blair said.

Describing the humanitarian issue as "urgent," Blair said that "the immediate focus has got to be on the oil-for-food program, because that is the thing we need to get sorted out with the United Nations literally in the next few days."

Talking about UN role in post-conflict Iraq, the British prime minister, who is believed to be in favor of a stronger UN role in post-conflict Iraq than President Bush, said that it's important that the United Nations is involved in the post-war administration of Iraq.

"It's important there again that the UN (United Nations) is involved, and that any post-conflict administration in Iraq is endorsed by it," Blair said.

He said that the United Kingdom will work with other countries to seek new UN Security Council resolutions to affirm Iraq's territorial integrity, to ensure rapid delivery of humanitarian relief, and to endorse an appropriate post-conflict administration for Iraq.

But Blair noted that there are huge numbers of details to be discussed within allies, adding that London prefers the details tobe worked out through discussions instead of the press conferencesor megaphone diplomacy. He said he will discuss the issue with UN Secretary-General Annan later Thursday in New York before he goes back to Britain.

Bush made no comments on UN role in post-war Iraq. But US Secretary of State Colin Power said at a Congressional hearing on Wednesday that the role of United Nations would be mainly limited to humanitarian aid.

He said Washington will not transfer the control of Iraq to theworld body but will instead lead a significant role by itself until a viable new Iraqi government is formed.

Asked about the duration of the ongoing war, both Bush and Blair vowed that the coalition will fight until victory is secured.

"However long it takes to win," Bush said. When pressed by reporters, he replied: " However long it takes to achieve our objective. And that's important for you to know, the American people to know, our allies to know, and the Iraqi people to know."

"This isn't a matter of timetables; it's a matter of victory," Blair followed.

Bush and Blair said they also discussed the Middle East peace process at the summit, saying that both are strongly committed to implementing a much-awaited "roadmap" peace plan once it is released.

Blair, the most staunch US ally on the Iraqi issue, arrived here on Wednesday for his third meeting with Bush in as many months. During the summit, both leaders watched a presentation by the coalition military about the latest situation and progress on the battlefields in Iraq.

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