Blair and Howard put up united front

Prime Minister Tony Blair has met with his Australian counterpart, John Howard, in Downing Street today to discuss the future reconstruction of Iraq and the worsening situation in Zimbabwe.

The prime ministers began today's press conference by paying tribute to their respective armed forces which were deployed as part of the Coalition army that toppled Saddam Hussein last month.

They both agreed to make sure that post-conflict Iraq becomes, in Mr Blair's words, a "stable and prosperous country, run by the Iraqi people, is a major priority".

"It is important that we try and develop the services and the infrastructure that the people in Iraq want to see," Tony Blair said.

John Howard backed his call, but was broader in scope, saying that for the future stability of the region it was also necessary to push ahead with the Israel/Palestinian Roadmap for peace.

"I believe very strongly that the American administration is committed to doing all it can, and in that regard I know the British government has long been committed, as we have, consistent with the right of Israel to exist behind secure and defensible boundaries," he said.

"We nonetheless recognise the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinians for an independent state. And I am hopeful that we can place great emphasis on that issue because it is of lasting importance to any kind of permanent peace and stability in that part of the world."

On fellow Commonwealth country Zimbabwe, Mr Blair was unequivocal in his condemnation of the Mugabe government – and in terms reminiscent of pre-Iraqi war press briefings, he called for "maximum international pressure [to be exerted] on the regime".

"We continue to have not merely a situation where there is a lack of proper democracy and proper adherence to human rights, but also an appalling humanitarian situation there that is being exacerbated by the political situation," he said.

Mr Howard added that the situation in Zimbabwe was "inexcusable and appalling".

He said: "[It is] a terrible indictment of somebody who has lost any pretence of governing for the welfare of the people of that country."

On the EU, Mr Blair rebuffed suggestions that Britain's relationship with her European neighbours was in tatters, saying that it was now a time for cooperation over the Iraq crisis. He also said that the majority of the EU, inclusive of the accession countries, shared the UK's position on Iraq.

"But we are now working with them to try and make sure that in the post-conflict phase we put the past behind us, we try and cooperate to get a proper UN set of resolutions through, or resolution through, which enables us to try and do our best for the people of Iraq," he said.

(GMcG)