Blair plays down the UN's role in rebuilding Iraq

The Daily Telegraph ^ | March 27, 2003 | George Jones, Ben Brogan and Toby Harnden

[MadIvan]

Tony Blair sought last night to avert a rift with President George W Bush by agreeing that the United Nations' role in post-war Iraq should be limited to humanitarian aid until America and Britain had made the country safe.

As he flew to Washington for a war summit with President Bush, the Prime Minister described as "premature" talk of the UN's role in running the country immediately after the conflict.

"We don't know what the situation is going to be when you get to the post-conflict situation," he said.

In an attempt to maintain the allies' unity after a series of setbacks during the first week of the conflict, Mr Blair played down differences between Britain and the US over the future of post-Saddam Iraq.

There is intense scepticism within the Bush administration about allowing the UN anything more than an involvement in humanitarian relief in Iraq. Mr Blair faced some private criticism for pressing the case for a further UN resolution before the conflict.

Officials have said that seeking a UN Security Council resolution to give the world body an executive role is a non-starter and Mr Blair's comments were a recognition of that sentiment.

Nile Gardiner, a fellow at the Heritage Foundation think tank, which is close to the White House, said: "The Bush administration really has no stomach for going back to the UN. Mr Blair is going a bridge too far by pressing the UN issue in post-war Iraq."

Earlier, Mr Blair faced questioning from MPs who feared Mr Bush would be unwilling to allow the UN to play a central part in rebuilding Iraq.

Iain Duncan Smith, the Conservative leader, said it was clear that Mr Bush was "deeply sceptical" about any role for the UN.

Mr Blair assured MPs of his personal commitment to ensuring that the post-war administration in Iraq had the backing of the UN.

He said both he and Mr Bush had made clear "that any post-conflict Iraq administration has to be specifically accepted and endorsed by the United Nations".

But he acknowledged that the timing and details of any handover to a civilian administration had yet to be agreed.

Mr Blair stressed the importance of ensuring the safety of American and British soldiers before handing over to the UN.

"We will obviously have to discuss the details of how we make the handover to civil administration in Iraq because it is important both to protect our own troops and make sure, frankly, that they did not give their lives in vain," Mr Blair said.

It was important that a post-conflict Iraqi administration had the full endorsement of the UN because it would release funds and allow the international financial institutions to operate in a more effective way.

But a more immediate priority was to secure UN agreement to get Iraq's food for oil programme up and running again. He would have discussions with Kofi Annan, the UN secretary general, in New York today on how money in the programme could be used for humanitarian relief.

On the flight to Washington yesterday, Mr Blair emphasised the importance of stabilising Iraq.

He said it could take some time to ensure that Iraq had the proper security and a government that was representative and cared about human rights: "The idea that you suddenly rush into the UN, that's what's causing the difficulty."

Mr Blair said the next couple of days would not determine what the post-conflict situation would be like. The immediate priority was to get the oil-for-food aid programme sorted out.

He said of his two-day talks with Mr Bush: "We will discuss the military situation but that's not the only purpose of the visit either. It's to go through in a reflective way all the various issues."

[MadIvan]

Reports of Blair wanting to hand over the administration of post-war Iraq to the UN, have been greatly exaggerated. As this indicates, Blair just wants their endorsement for the American-British administration.

A politically clever move might be to avoid the UN entirely, but get the leading nations of the Coalition to run it - probably a far more international administration than the UN ever would be. Have Australian, British, American, Spanish, Polish and Danish administrators in the lead.

Regards, Ivan

[MadIvan]

Bump!

[agincourt1415]

UN Role - ZERO!

NOTHING!

UN gets NOTHING!

[TLBSHOW]

Mr Blair stressed the importance of ensuring the safety of American and British soldiers before

handing over to the UN.

[TLBSHOW]

UN Role - ZERO!
NOTHING!

UN gets NOTHING!
.....

BUMP

[rhombus]

Come now, in the interest of multilateralism the UN should have a role -- the latrines will need emptying -- get moving Chirac and Putin.

[merrin]

Tony Blair sought last night to avert a rift with President George W Bush by agreeing that the United Nations' role in post-war Iraq should be limited to humanitarian aid until America and Britain had made the country safe.

I agree. Then once it's been made safe, Brits and Americans can take over the humanitarian aid as well.

[CarmelValleyite]

NO role for the UN -- it should be dismantled post haste - IRRELEVANT!!!!!

[MonroeDNA]

They still hope that somehow Clintonian physics still works.

GW has real integrity, and Texans don't forget.

The UN is officially irrelevant, as of last week.

They can gaze at their navel all they want. This will get more funny as time goes on.

France is officially a second-rate aging actress.

[goldylight]

NO SOUP FOR YOU!

[Reb Raider]

I like the idea of the coalition countries doing this. At least the Iraqi people know that these countries acknowledge they were living under a butcher and weren't trying to rake in profits on arms and oil like France,Germany and Russia. It would be an insult to have these countries come in and tell them now "We are hear to help now that the bloodly part is out of the way".

[PhiKapMom]

Blair to press Bush to agree U.N. role in Iraq
Reuters | 3/26/03 | Mike Peacock


Posted on 03/26/2003 8:51 AM CST by kattracks


Blair to press Bush to agree U.N. role in Iraq

By Mike Peacock

LONDON, March 26 (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Tony Blair flew to Washington on Wednesday for a war council with President George W. Bush, insisting that the United Nations must play a central role in post-war Iraq.

But his twin aims of healing a gaping transatlantic rift between America and Europe, and binding the United Nations into the reconstruction of Iraq, represent huge challenges with Washington still smarting at a snub from the Security Council.

Publicly, Blair said he saw no problems.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/876085/posts

Will the real Tony Blair stand up or did he have a call from 1600 Pennyslvania Ave after his first comments about involving the United Nations?

[Mr. Silverback]

Like your plan.

[Miss Marple]

I think you are missing the Reuters slant to the story. They LOVE the UN and will twist anything to match their agenda.

[MadIvan]

We can elaborate on it - Have an American in the lead, and then British and Australian deputies, with departments assigned to Allied officers based on their competences.

Everyone is happy out of this arrangement - the UN is bypassed, which satisfies America, it's a genuinely international arrangement, which satisfies the Labour Party, and the allies see the direct benefit of having done the right thing - they are seen as part of a great endeavour, the reconstruction of a country after a painful dictatorship.

Regards, Ivan

[crz]

It might take years to make it safe enough for them. Heh Heh heh.

[Mr. Silverback]

These are Iraqi people getting food. See any UN bureaucrats in the photo?

A U.S. Marine greets an Iraqi man as others surround him prior to the distribution of a shipment of humanitarian aid, in Safwan, Iraq (news - web sites), on Wednesday, March 26, 2003. Three trailers of the Kuwait Red Crescent Society carrying food supplies and mineral water arrived at the border town.(AP Photo/Gustavo Ferrari)

[agincourt1415]

I'm gona love seeing the UN try and horn in, its going to be so funny.

They are about to see how the BUSH FAMILY is about disloyalty.

[MIgramma]

I agree, probably a lot of spin on their part.

[agincourt1415]

UN LOL

BAWWAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!

WHITEHOUSE please take note of this THREAD!