WASHINGTON, April 5: President George W. Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair will meet in Northern Ireland on Monday and Tuesday to plan Iraq’s future, the White House formally announced on Saturday.
The United States plans to install an all-American government in Iraq after its troops capture Baghdad. Washington is also forming a parallel interim Iraqi authority to advise the proposed government, likely to be headed by a US general.
The White House said Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern will also participate in the Bush-Blair meeting in Belfast on Monday and Tuesday, as the talks will also include a proposal to bring peace to Northern Ireland.
Mr Bush will also discuss battlefield plans with his closest wartime allies. Despite their close alliance in the war, the US and Britain have disagreements over peacetime plans for Iraq. Mr Blair has publicly said that it would be a mistake not to include Iraqis in the proposed government and also has advocated a greater role for the UN in Iraq’s reconstruction.
Although the White House said the two leaders would also discuss the general situation in the Middle East as well, spokesman Ari Fleischer said there were no plans to release a “road map” for peace between Israel and the Palestinians. Before invading Iraq, Mr Bush had promised to release his road map, which also includes a pledge for establishing a separate Palestinian state.
