The Hindu : International : Blair changed speech under U.S. "pressure''

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, May 31, 2006

International

International

Blair changed speech under U.S. "pressure''

Hasan Suroor

LONDON: Fresh questions about American influence on British foreign policy have been raised following reports that pressure from the Bush administration forced Prime Minister Tony Blair to make "significant'' changes to an important speech he gave in Washington.

The most controversial change he reportedly made related to Iran to make the British position sound closer to the tougher American line. Britain has consistently ruled out military intervention in Iran and in fact, the former Foreign Secretary Jack Straw called the idea of an attack on Iran "nuts''.

America, on the other hand, maintains that though it favours a diplomatic solution to the stand-off on Iran's nuclear programme, all options including military intervention, remain on the table. According to The Sunday Telegraph, British journalists covering Mr Blair's U.S. visit were briefed that he would stress that "change should not be imposed'' on Iran but Americans "insisted'' that the possibility of military action remained open.

"By the time he made his speech, Mr Blair had significantly bowed to the American position, claiming, `I am not saying we should impose change', and leaving the door open for a military attack,'' the newspaper reported.

It claimed that Mr Blair also altered "key passages'' on climate change and proposed reforms of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. "Objections by President George W. Bush's inner circle played a key role in the alterations just before Mr Blair delivered his landmark address at Georgetown University in Washington on Friday,'' the report said, quoting British sources.

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