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Europe will play a important and strategic role in the reconstruction of the post-Saddam Iraq, with the United Nations at the core, British Prime Minister Tony Blair said in a televised speech Friday.
Blair, who is to attend a summit of the European Union (EU), said that Britain will press the case of rebuilding the war-torn country and urged other EU nations to take part in it.
The United Nations should play a central role in rebuilding the post-Saddam Iraq, he said.
Pointing out there is no point in dwelling on deference with France on the Iraq crisis, Blair noted that it is right and an important strategy for the Europe to be an ally of the United States and to stand and work together with the country.
He said there is a need of honest, open debate about longer-term EU-US relations.
All three services of the British forces massed at the Gulf have been involved in the conflict and Britain will see the cause through to the end despite resistance from the Iraqi side, Blair said.
He added that there is considerable support in the European Union for the ongoing military actions in Iraq and welcomed EU statement on importance of trans-Atlantic alliance.
Meanwhile, he delivered sympathy for the families of UK soldiers killed in Kuwait crash early Friday. British Defense Secretary Geoff Hoon declared that the helicopter crash was not a result of Iraqi fire.
(Xinhua News Agency March 21, 2003)
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