British Prime Minister Tony Blair yesterday played down apparent differences between Britain and the US over how much say the future Iraqi government should have on operations by coalition troops.
Speaking in the House of Commons, Blair rebuffed a comment by Labour Party lawmaker Anne Campbell that she was "very pleased to see that there are policy differences between himself and [US] President [George W.] Bush on the subject of Iraq."
PHOTO: AFPN
"I am sorry to have to disappoint my honorable friend," Blair said, " ... but I have to say to her that we are both absolutely agreed that there should be full sovereignty transferred to the Iraq people and the multinational force should remain under American command. That is natural since they have the vast bulk of the soldiers."
London and Washington appeared divided Tuesday over whether the Iraqis should be able to veto activities by coalition forces after the June 30 transfer of sovereignty.
Blair said the new Iraqi government should have the power to veto major military operations proposed by coalition troops when it assumes sovereignty.
But US Secretary of State Colin Powell said that "if it comes down to the United States armed forces protecting themselves or in some way accomplishing their mission" in a way not in accord with the Iraqis, the US forces "will do what is necessary to protect themselves."
"There is absolutely no doubt at all that the new Iraqi government has to have full sovereignty but the multinational force remains by consent," Blair told the Commons.
"The ultimate strategic and political decision-making passes to the Iraqi government after June 30.
"Of course once the strategic decisions have been made, the running of any operation is under the multinational force.
"There is no question not merely of the US but of UK troops not being able to protect themselves or their lives being put at risk or being under anything else than US or UK command," he said.
Meanwhile, US forces captured a key aide to rebel Iraqi cleric Moqtada al-Sadr during a series of overnight raids in the Shiite holy city of Kerbala, Sadr's spokesman said yesterday.
Qais al-Khazali said Riyad al-Noury, a relative of Sadr, was captured in a raid on his house in Najaf. He said raids also targeted the houses of three other Sadr aides but failed to capture them.
Two employees of a Russian energy company working on a power plant in Iraq were killed yesterday when gunmen opened fire on a bus transferring them to more secure quarters.
The Russian firm Interenergoservis, whose workers have been abducted and killed in previous attacks, said it would now withdraw its remaining 234 employees from the country.
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