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LONDON - An influential committee of lawmakers criticized Prime Minister Tony Blair's government Tuesday for publishing a dossier on Iraq's weapons program without first clearing its contents with British intelligence services.

The dossier, which set out evidence about Saddam Hussein's alleged chemical and biological weapons programs, was published early this year. It included material copied from an American student's thesis which was posted on the Internet, causing embarrassment for the government.

The Parliamentary Intelligence and Security Committee, which oversees the work of Britain's intelligence agencies, said in its annual report that the document had not been endorsed by intelligence chiefs before it was published. It was titled "Iraq: Its Infrastructure of Concealment, Deception and Intimidation."

Powell Offers Friendship to Kirchner

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina - Secretary of State Colin Powell offered friendship Tuesday to newly installed President Nestor Kirchner and said he hoped to put U.S.-Argentine relations on a sounder footing.

"We are looking for strong relationships between two friends and we look forward to working with the new president and his administration," Powell said as he left a midmorning meeting with Kirchner. He flew back to Washington immediately afterward.

Powell stopped in Buenos Aires on Tuesday after attending an Organization of American States foreign ministers meeting in Santiago, Chile the day before. A senior OAS official said there was optimism that the U.S.-Argentine relations can prosper now that President Bush has a new team of economic advisers.