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Journalism of Courage
British PM Tony Blair said on Friday ahead of talks with US President George W. Bush that it was important to press for a new UN resolution authorising military force against Iraq, and the White House did not rule one out.
With a decision on whether to go to war against Iraq just weeks away despite pressure from world capitals the meeting — part of what Washington says is a final round of diplomacy on Iraq’s compliance with UN arms demands — comes after Blair and the leaders of seven other European nations broke with France and Germany and expressed support for the tough US stance on Iraq.
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Bush signed secret document allowing use of nukes |
That has opened a rift in the European Union, while boosting Bush’s argument he can form a ‘‘coalition of the willing’’ to topple Saddam.
As part of a diplomatic flurry on Iraq, Bush consulted by phone with Czech Republic President Vaclav Havel and will meet King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa of Bahrain next week.
Meanwhile, Chief UN weapons inspector Hans Blix said on Friday he would meet with Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein if he were invited to do so, and would tell Saddam to cooperate more actively with inspections.
Blix did not reveal whether he and International Atomic Energy Agency Director-General Mohamed ElBaradei, would travel to Baghdad in early February. (Reuters)
