Blair predicts Bush to adopt ‘consensual’ foreign policy
The Prime Minister Tony Blair is predicting that US president George Bush will adopt a more consensual foreign policy in his second term of office.
In an interview with the Guardian, Tony Blair said his American counterpart understood unilateral military force alone was insufficient in the war on terrorism.
According to Mr Blair, Mr Bush saw the best prospect for “peaceful co-existence” in fostering democracy and human rights across the globe and embracing a multilateral approach to problems.
The Prime Minister said he had discerned a clear “evolution” in US foreign policy since the Afghanistan war in 2001.
“Evolution comes from experience,” he said.
Mr Bush is due to be sworn in at a ceremony in Washington DC today.
On Iran – one of Mr Bush’s original “axis of evil” states alongside Saddam Hussein’s Iraq and communist North Korea – Mr Blair said the US viewed the Islamic state with what he termed a “harder position” than Britain, France and Germany. Europe’s big three have led diplomatic talks aimed at ending Iran’s apparent nuclear brinkmanship.
Following Mr Bush’s inauguration, the president will fly to Europe for his first foreign visit in a trip that Mr Blair said was full of political significance.
Meanwhile, the Telegraph today reports that Britain is to press the US to set out an “indicative timetable” for withdrawing coalition troops from Iraq over the next year and a half or more.
It is thought the timetable will boost optimism ahead of elections later this month.
Separately, Condoleezza Rice has been confirmed as the new US secretary of state.
