The Hindu : International : Blair hopeful of NATO deal on Iraq

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Friday, Feb 11, 2005

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International

Blair hopeful of NATO deal on Iraq

By Hasan Suroor

LONDON, FEB. 10. The British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, has indicated that the divisions among NATO countries over the invasion of Iraq would not come in the way of reaching an agreement on training Iraqi security forces, paving the way for an eventual withdrawal of foreign troops. He told a committee of senior MPs recently that he expected even those NATO members which were not involved in the "conflict or its aftermath'', to come on board.

Though he did not name the countries, he was seen to be referring to Germany and France who opposed the British-U.S. invasion, calling it illegal. Mr. Blair, who was giving evidence before the Commons' powerful liaison committee, comprising Chairmen of the House select committees, said: "I think you may find, at the NATO meeting at the end of February, we get agreement on help for training Iraqi security forces. I hope that will see some of the countries that haven't been involved either in the conflict or its aftermath involved in that.''

No time-table

Mr. Blair refused to lay down a time-table for withdrawal of British troops but hinted that details of an exit strategy might emerge after a new government took over in Iraq.

The key, according to him, was the pace of "Iraqi-isation'' of security forces. "Over the next few weeks, as the picture emerges more clearly and we get a new Iraqi Government come into being, I hope we can then set out for people exactly what we then think is the way forward for the Iraqi-isation of security,'' he said.

Mr. Blair dismissed the criticism that there had not been proper planning for the post-invasion phase, and said that the task was always going to be difficult.

His remarks came as an opinion poll showed that despite widespread opposition to his Iraq policy, it is unlikely to have a significant impact on the electoral fortunes of the Labour Party in the coming general election.

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