White House confirms Blair visit to Washington

Washington - British Prime Minster Tony Blair and US President George W. Bush will meet this week to discuss Iraq and the crisis over Iran’s nuclear programme, the White House said Tuesday.

Blair’s visit to his White House ally is set for Thursday. On Monday, Blair was the first Western leader to visit Iraq since the formation of a unity government under Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki.

Blair and al-Maliki said they expected Iraqi forces to take over security tasks in much of the country by the end of the year, prompting speculation that British forces in Iraq would be reduced.

But Blair emphasized that the transition would depend on conditions on the ground. Bush has taken a similar stand, refusing to set a target for a US troop drawdown despite low public support for his Iraq policy.

The two leaders will discuss support for the new Iraqi government and preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons, White House spokesman Tony Snow said in a statement.

Also on the agenda are promoting free trade, Middle East peacemaking and a strategy to end violence in Sudan’s Darfur region.

Britain is ‘a key ally and a resolute partner of the United States in addressing these and other global challenges,’ Snow said.

© 2006 dpa - Deutsche Presse-Agentur