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Blair rules out negotiating with Taliban

Prime Minister Tony Blair ruled out any negotiation with Afghanistan's ruling Taliban government yesterday, and said the regime had "virtually merged" with Osama bin Laden's al-Qaeda network.

He said Britain had no alternative but to join the US in the fight against terrorism, as the Sept. 11 attacks were "aimed at civilized values and the civilized world everywhere."

"Our information is ... that effectively the Taliban regime and the al-Qaeda network have virtually merged now," said Blair, according to a transcript of his interview on CNN's Larry King Live, seen by Britain's Press Association.

"Their forces are the same, probably their military structures are virtually the same. So there's no negotiating with them." Blair said the international coalition against terrorism remained "remarkably strong" and paid tribute to US President George W. Bush for his "magnificent" handling of the crisis.

Asked during the wide-ranging interview how bin Laden and al-Qaeda could be dealt with, Blair said: "Well, you defeat them. I mean, you can't negotiate with them ... We have to take action and shut the whole of that terrorist network down. I mean eliminate it, eradicate it."

The UK has been the US' staunchest ally in the fight against terrorism. Since the atrocities in New York and Washington, Blair has been involved in a relentless round of diplomatic talks, at home in Europe and in the Middle East, bolstering international support for the US-led military campaign.

Blair said that part of the coalition's response to the terrorism crisis must be to help bring about peace in the Middle East, which he said was "the context for the way that much of the Arab world views this conflict." He said the issue was the key to maintaining Arab support for action against al-Qaeda.

"What people need to know is that we are determined, if we possibly can, to move the Middle East peace process forward.
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