Senior Minister Mike O'Brien has hit back at the claims insisting Tony Blair has succeeded in influencing U.S policy in Iraq and Israel. The Minister
stated: "We can influence the US." "But we can't control a superpower. They listen to our quiet diplomacy but they also have their own policy - we
influence each other."
Mr O’Brien also commented on the diplomats criticisms on Blair’s handling of the Israel/Palestine situation which included claims Mr Blair had
"merely waited" for the US to advance a "roadmap" for peace:
BBC
Mr O'Brien, a foreign office minister, said there were a number of areas where Mr Blair had been able to influence the US position.
"Certainly everyone would accept we have had some influence in encouraging President Bush to become the first US president to call for a Palestinian
state independent of Israel and to support the whole road map process," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.
"Certainly Tony Blair has encouraged President Bush to move down that road. Indeed ... President Bush said he supported a two state solution and
that's our policy too"
But Mr O'Brien said he could not comment on whether Mr Bush had consulted Mr Blair before giving his support to Israel's plan to leave Gaza and
parts of the West Bank.
[Edited on 27-4-2004 by kegs]
