Home>News Center>World
         
 

Ex-diplomats fault Blair on Middle East
(Agencies)
Updated: 2004-04-27 14:09

More than 50 former diplomats have signed a letter to Britain's Prime Minister Tony Blair, harshly criticizing his policy in the Middle East and calling on Britain to exert more influence over the United States.

In the letter, which the The Associated Press viewed on Monday, they say the U.S.-led coalition failed to plan adequately for the post-war phase in Iraq.

The letter, signed by 52 former diplomats, including ambassadors, high commissioners and governors, also attacks U.S. President Bush for endorsing Israel's plan to retain some settlements in the West Bank and criticizes Blair's public support for the policy.

"These things needed saying and have needed saying for some time," Oliver Miles, a former ambassador to Greece, told The AP on Monday.

Blair's office rejected the criticism.

"Our objectives in both Iraq and the Israel-Palestinian conflict remain stability, peace, freedom in the Middle East," said Blair's official spokesman.

Those who signed the letter include two former ambassadors to Baghdad and a former ambassador to Tel Aviv.

"We ... have watched with deepening concern the policies which you have followed on the Arab-Israel problem and Iraq, in close co-operation with the United States," reads the letter. "We feel the time has come to make our anxieties public, in the hope that they will be addressed in Parliament and will lead to a fundamental reassessment."

Miles, who coordinated the letter, said it was triggered by Blair's visit to Washington earlier this month when he publicly backed Israel's plan to withdraw from the Gaza Strip but retain some settlements in the West Bank.

Bush's endorsement outraged Palestinians. Critics say the unilateral action proposed by Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon undermines the "road map" drawn up by the so-called Quartet — the United States, Russia, the European Union and the United Nations.

Blair stood united with Bush on the issue and stressed Sharon's plan was a step forward — not backward — for Palestinians' statehood aspirations.

The letter claims that the policy is "one-sided and illegal" and will "cost yet more Israeli and Palestinian blood."

Turning to Iraq, the letter says there was "no effective plan for the post-Saddam settlement." It is also critical of military tactics employed by the coalition, particularly the siege of Fallujah.

"We share your view that the British government has an interest in working as closely as possible with the United States on both these related issues, and in exerting real influence as a loyal ally," it says. "We believe that the need for such influence is now a matter of the highest urgency. If that is unacceptable or unwelcome there is no case for supporting policies which are doomed to failure. "

Blair's office said it would not rebut the letter point by point, but stressed the government remained committed to a two-state solution in the Middle East, as envisaged by the road map.

"We assume these former members of the diplomatic service welcome the removal of Saddam and it is that that has opened up the possibility of democracy and that is what we are determined to achieve in Iraq," he said, briefing reporters on condition of anonymity. "We have prepared for the aftermath. Nobody pretends that there are not difficulties."



USS Park Royal crew await for Rice
Coffin of Milosevic flew to Belgrade
Kidnapping spree in Gaza Strip
 
  Today's Top News     Top World News
 

Australia, US, Japan praise China for Asia engagement

 

   
 

Banker: China doing its best on flexible yuan

 

   
 

Hopes high for oil pipeline deal

 

   
 

Possibilities of bird flu outbreaks reduced

 

   
 

Milosevic buried after emotional farewell

 

   
 

China considers trade contracts in India

 

   
  Journalist's alleged killers held in Iraq
   
  No poisons found in Milosevic's body
   
  US, Britain, France upbeat on Iran agreement
   
  Fatah officials call for Abbas to resign
   
  Sectarian violence increases in Iraq
   
  US support for troops in Iraq hits new low
   
 
  Go to Another Section  
 
 
  Story Tools  
   
  Related Stories  
   
Bush, Blair misled by intelligence on Iraq - Blix
   
Claim of Blair-guru relationship draws Downing Street snub
   
Blair to hold historic talks with Gaddafi
   
Blair invites Libya to join war on terror
   
Milosevic wants Blair, Clinton as witnesses
Manufacturers, Exporters, Wholesalers - Global trade starts here.
Advertisement
         
主站蜘蛛池模板: 国内精品久久久久伊人av| 亚欧色视频在线观看免费| 亚洲高清视频免费| 亚洲高清免费在线观看| 免费一级毛片无毒不卡| 伊人久久大香线蕉综合5g| 亚洲熟妇av一区二区三区宅男 | 成人午夜精品无码区久久| 成视频年人黄网站免费视频| 成人免费视频一区二区| 天天射天天干天天插| 女皇跪趴受辱娇躯| 国模私拍福利一区二区| 国产超碰人人做人人爽av| 国产精品国产香蕉在线观看网| 国产精品免费播放| 国产成人久久精品一区二区三区 | 美女洗澡一级毛片| 网曝门精品国产事件在线观看| 渣男和渣女做不干净事情视频| 污污网站在线免费观看| 欧美亚洲视频在线观看| 日本免费小视频| 小呦精品导航网站| 国产精品白丝av嫩草影院| 国产欧美一区二区三区在线看 | 丁香婷婷六月天| 麻豆免费高清完整版视频| 男生女生差差差很痛| 果冻传媒mv在线| 国产精品第十页| 双手扶在浴缸边迎合着h| 亚洲娇小性xxxx色| 91精品国产91久久久久久| 色偷偷亚洲第一综合网| 欧美成人猛男性色生活| 新人本田岬847正在播放| 国产香蕉97碰碰久久人人| 国产新疆成人a一片在线观看| 国产 欧洲韩国野花视频| 亚洲色偷偷偷综合网|