Blair is in Iraq and is meeting with Iraq's new Prime Minister, Nouri al-Maliki, who was sworn in on Saturday.
Blair welcomes 'new beginning' for Iraq
James Sturcke and agencies
Monday May 22, 2006
Tony Blair arriving in Baghdad. Photograph: Stefan Rousseau/PA
Tony Blair flew into Baghdad today and said the formation of a new democratically elected Iraqi government marked a "new beginning" for the country.
Mr Blair's visit to the capital's heavily fortified green zone had been shrouded in secrecy, as deadly violence continued to provide the backdrop to the new administration - only agreed after months of bitter wrangling between rival factions.
The prime minister met his Iraqi counterpart, Nouri al-Maliki, whose government was sworn in on Saturday.
Mr Blair told a news conference that it was a privilege to be in Iraq to see the "energy, enthusiasm and determination" of the new government.
"It has been three years of struggle to get to this point and has been longer and harder than any of us would have wanted it to be but this is a new beginning," he said.
He told reporters he wanted to see the Iraqi people take charge of their own destiny and "write the next chapter of Iraqi history".
"For the first time we have a government of national unity that crosses divides. It is there for a four-year term and it is there elected by the votes of millions of Iraqis," Mr Blair said.
"There is no vestige of excuse for people to carry on terrorism or bloodshed."
Mr Blair said that people with concerns about political exclusion or the presence of multinational forces in the country now had a political process to turn to voice their grievances. He said he believed the international community would have now more confidence in working with a government elected to a four-year term and one which crosses internal divides.
Asked if the situation today in Iraq was any better today than under Saddam Hussein's regime, Mr Blair replied that the very fact that the British and Iraqi prime ministers were taking questions "under pressure" from reporters showed how the country had changed.
"Despite all the terrorism and bloodshed, the people have spoken and the government has been elected. That is better surely than people living under dictatorship."
Mr Blair said he had talked with his counterpart about the situation in Basra, where British troops are based. The Iraqi prime minister had promised "to work closely" with the British in coming weeks in improving the security situation in the south of the country.
Mr Maliki concurred that "Iraq was a much better place today" than it had been under dictatorship. "Iraqis were deprived of freedom and everything was a bad situation," he said. "We had no freedom."
On Saturday, Mr Blair hailed the formation of the government as a "huge step forward" after Mr Maliki's ministers were sworn in before a parliament elected by more than 12 million Iraqi voters.
The British prime minister flew into the green zone by helicopter for his second visit to Iraq's capital city early this morning. Mr Blair was determined to show his support for the new national unity government, despite the obvious security risks.
His helicopter ride into Baghdad followed days of bloodshed surrounding the formation of the new administration, with dozens killed and injured in a string of suicide and roadside bombs and drive-by shootings.
A senior British official travelling with Mr Blair said the withdrawal of the present multinational force should be accomplished within four years, with a handover to civilian control in several provinces during the summer.
He stressed that was not a timetable for troop withdrawal, and did not necessarily herald the swift repatriation of large numbers of British troops.
The official said he hoped that at least one of the four of Iraq's 18 provinces currently controlled by UK forces would be able to transfer to civilian control soon.
"Our message is one of support for a government which has now taken over the baton and will be running things for itself over a four-year period. Sovereignty is not new, independence is not new, but this length of time is new and this government is going to take the country to a position where the multinational force (MNF) can withdraw during its time in office," he said.
The official added: "During that four years, the present role and structure of the MNF will change and come to an end."
He said there might be a continuing role in training and development of Iraqi forces "but the scale of the forces that you have today will change over that four-year period".
He went on: "The UK has four provinces. I would certainly hope that at least one of our provinces would be able to transfer during the course of the summer."
That would almost certainly be al-Muthana or Maysan, the two most stable of the provinces - the others being Basra and Dhi Kar. But the official repeatedly made clear that handing over to civilian control would not lead to an immediate repatriation of British troops this summer.
Mr Blair will also meet the Iraqi president, Jalal Talibani, and members of the newly sworn-in Iraqi cabinet today, as well as the US ambassador to Iraq and the senior UK commander in the country, General Sir Rob Fry.
Mr Blair wants to offer technical help in setting up the fledgling administration and his visit also follows a strong message of support for Mr Maliki from the US president, George Bush.
guardian.co.uk
Blair welcomes 'new beginning' for Iraq
James Sturcke and agencies
Monday May 22, 2006
Tony Blair arriving in Baghdad. Photograph: Stefan Rousseau/PA
Tony Blair flew into Baghdad today and said the formation of a new democratically elected Iraqi government marked a "new beginning" for the country.
Mr Blair's visit to the capital's heavily fortified green zone had been shrouded in secrecy, as deadly violence continued to provide the backdrop to the new administration - only agreed after months of bitter wrangling between rival factions.
The prime minister met his Iraqi counterpart, Nouri al-Maliki, whose government was sworn in on Saturday.
Mr Blair told a news conference that it was a privilege to be in Iraq to see the "energy, enthusiasm and determination" of the new government.
"It has been three years of struggle to get to this point and has been longer and harder than any of us would have wanted it to be but this is a new beginning," he said.
He told reporters he wanted to see the Iraqi people take charge of their own destiny and "write the next chapter of Iraqi history".
"For the first time we have a government of national unity that crosses divides. It is there for a four-year term and it is there elected by the votes of millions of Iraqis," Mr Blair said.
"There is no vestige of excuse for people to carry on terrorism or bloodshed."
Mr Blair said that people with concerns about political exclusion or the presence of multinational forces in the country now had a political process to turn to voice their grievances. He said he believed the international community would have now more confidence in working with a government elected to a four-year term and one which crosses internal divides.
Asked if the situation today in Iraq was any better today than under Saddam Hussein's regime, Mr Blair replied that the very fact that the British and Iraqi prime ministers were taking questions "under pressure" from reporters showed how the country had changed.
"Despite all the terrorism and bloodshed, the people have spoken and the government has been elected. That is better surely than people living under dictatorship."
Mr Blair said he had talked with his counterpart about the situation in Basra, where British troops are based. The Iraqi prime minister had promised "to work closely" with the British in coming weeks in improving the security situation in the south of the country.
Mr Maliki concurred that "Iraq was a much better place today" than it had been under dictatorship. "Iraqis were deprived of freedom and everything was a bad situation," he said. "We had no freedom."
On Saturday, Mr Blair hailed the formation of the government as a "huge step forward" after Mr Maliki's ministers were sworn in before a parliament elected by more than 12 million Iraqi voters.
The British prime minister flew into the green zone by helicopter for his second visit to Iraq's capital city early this morning. Mr Blair was determined to show his support for the new national unity government, despite the obvious security risks.
His helicopter ride into Baghdad followed days of bloodshed surrounding the formation of the new administration, with dozens killed and injured in a string of suicide and roadside bombs and drive-by shootings.
A senior British official travelling with Mr Blair said the withdrawal of the present multinational force should be accomplished within four years, with a handover to civilian control in several provinces during the summer.
He stressed that was not a timetable for troop withdrawal, and did not necessarily herald the swift repatriation of large numbers of British troops.
The official said he hoped that at least one of the four of Iraq's 18 provinces currently controlled by UK forces would be able to transfer to civilian control soon.
"Our message is one of support for a government which has now taken over the baton and will be running things for itself over a four-year period. Sovereignty is not new, independence is not new, but this length of time is new and this government is going to take the country to a position where the multinational force (MNF) can withdraw during its time in office," he said.
The official added: "During that four years, the present role and structure of the MNF will change and come to an end."
He said there might be a continuing role in training and development of Iraqi forces "but the scale of the forces that you have today will change over that four-year period".
He went on: "The UK has four provinces. I would certainly hope that at least one of our provinces would be able to transfer during the course of the summer."
That would almost certainly be al-Muthana or Maysan, the two most stable of the provinces - the others being Basra and Dhi Kar. But the official repeatedly made clear that handing over to civilian control would not lead to an immediate repatriation of British troops this summer.
Mr Blair will also meet the Iraqi president, Jalal Talibani, and members of the newly sworn-in Iraqi cabinet today, as well as the US ambassador to Iraq and the senior UK commander in the country, General Sir Rob Fry.
Mr Blair wants to offer technical help in setting up the fledgling administration and his visit also follows a strong message of support for Mr Maliki from the US president, George Bush.
guardian.co.uk