Bush, Blair conclude summit, say forces advancing

President Bush, meeting with British Prime Minister Tony Blair, said Thursday that US, British forces were "advancing day by day" through Iraq. He and Blair demanded that the United Nations's "Oil for Food" program be immediately restored.  

Blair declared that "Saddam Hussein and his hateful regime will be removed from power."  

"Iraq will be disarmed of weapons of mass destruction. And the Iraqi people will be freed. That is our commitment. That is our determination, and we will see it done," Blair added.  

Blair said he and the president had decided to seek new U.N. resolutions on humanitarian relief, a postwar administration for Iraq and a promise to keep Iraq's territorial boundaries intact.  

Blair has advocated a far more aggressive role for the United Nations in administering postwar Iraq than has Bush.  

"No doubt, the United nations has got to be closely involved in this process," Blair said. He said he and Bush agreed on "principles," but that there was "a huge amount of details ... that have to be the subject of discussion."  

(Albawaba.com) 

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