WASHINGTON, July 17: British Prime Minister Tony Blair addressed a joint session of the US Congress on Thursday with an appeal to the United States to confront terrorism and tyranny with values, not just guns.

“America must listen as well as lead, but don’t ever apologize for your values,” Blair declared in an address to a joint session of the US Senate and House of Representatives.

“What you bequeath to this anxious world is the light of liberty.”

The speech — delivered from the House of Representatives chamber at 4:00 pm (0200 PST) — is seen by British observers as the most important Blair has given to an overseas audience since he took office six years ago.

Blair told US lawmakers that globalization has given the world not only opportunity, but also risk in the form of terrorism, “a new and deadly virus.”

Those risks could only be confronted with “the universal values of the human spirit” — values which, Blair argued, are not uniquely American or Western.

The prime minister also underscored the importance of transatlantic ties, telling his American audience that a breakdown in relations between the United States and Europe will only encourage global mischief.

“Don’t give up on Europe. Work with it,” Blair said.

On Iraq, he stressed the importance of delivering the democracy and oil wealth that had been promised to the Iraqi people when US and British forces defeated Saddam Hussein.

“Finishing the fighting is not finishing the job. We promised Iraq democratic government. We will deliver it.” he said.

He said the United Nations can and must play a central role in stemming the spread of nuclear, biological and chemical weapons, calling the world body “an instrument of action as well as debate,” but adding, “The Security Council should be reformed.

“We need a new international regime on the non-proliferation of (weapons of mass destruction). And we need to say clearly to UN members: if you engage in the systematic and gross abuse of human rights, in defiance of the UN charter, you cannot expect to enjoy the same privileges as those that conform to it.”

On the Middle East, Blair argued that the threat of terrorism will not recede until justice is seen to be done in the form of a genuine, durable peace between Israelis and Palestinians.

CLOUDED VICTORY: The White House lavished praise on embattled British Prime Minister Tony Blair before he and President George W. Bush held talks overshadowed by questions over their justification for invading Iraq.