OTTAWA, March 19: In the latest barb from a member of Canada’s ruling Liberal Party against US President George Bush as he gears up for war with Iraq, a minister said on Wednesday that President Bush had failed to act as a statesman.

“The world expects someone who is the president of a superpower to be a statesman,” Natural Resources Minister Herb Dhaliwal told reporters, insisting that war against Iraq is premature.

“I think he has let not only Americans but the world down by not being a statesman as people expect of someone who is president of a superpower.”

Mr Dhaliwal’s comments may boost tensions with a US administration that is already disappointed with Canada’s refusal to commit troops to an attack on Iraq.

Prime Minister Jean Chretien’s top spokeswoman resigned in November after calling Mr Bush a moron in what she thought was a private conversation.

The US State Department voiced its disappointment on Wednesday “that some of our closest allies including Canada do not agree on the urgent need for action” in Iraq.

Relations have always been cool between Mr Bush, a staunch conservative, and Mr Chretien, who is proud to say he’s liberal.

Mr Chretien has chosen his words carefully this week, saying that war was not justified but declaring he respected Bush’s authority to act in defence of Americans.

Deputy Prime Minister John Manley, one of the most ardent defenders of the United States in the Canadian cabinet, sought after Dhaliwal’s remarks to smooth over relations.

“I think that it’s important for us to maintain our consistent and principled position...and to avoid as much as possible any characterization of the US or its motives,” he told a crush of journalists.

“They are dealing with issues that are difficult for them as well as the world, and I think we can disagree very respectfully.”—Reuters