Blair Seeks Support Against Terrorism

By MARA D. BELLABY
Associated Press Writer

LONDON - The week before the terrorist attacks on the United States, the British press pounced on a remark by President Bush _ that his country "has no more important relationship in the world than our relationship with Mexico" _ as a sign that Britain had been cast aside.

Not any more.

Prime Minister Tony Blair, who heads to Washington on Thursday at Bush's invitation, has quickly emerged as America's strongest international ally in the newly declared war against terrorism, re-igniting talk of the special relationship between the two English-speaking countries.

Blair immediately declared that Britain stood "shoulder to shoulder" with America after the attacks in New York and Washington, brushing aside fears that his strong support could make cities like London a target.

He has used the same "war" terminology as Bush, and has worked nonstop to build international support for action against the perpetrators.

Blair's office said it was important to build the maximum consensus in terms of condemning what happened, and agreeing on the need to act against mass terrorism.

Blair scheduled a frenetic round of talks with German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder and French President Jacques Chirac before flying Thursday from Paris to New York City. Blair was to meet relatives of the hundreds of British victims in the attack and to thank the emergency workers, before heading to Washington to see Bush.

On Friday, Blair planned to return to Europe for an emergency European Union summit.

In the past few days, Blair has consulted leaders such as Pakistan's Gen. Pervez Musharraf, Russian President Vladimir Putin and China's Jiang Zemin by phone, welcomed the Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi to Downing Street, and met African leaders from Senegal, Nigeria, Ghana, Botswana, Tanzania and Mozambique at his country estate.

Blair's role in international consensus-building is not surprising. Britain has often tried to position itself as a bridge between the United States and Europe, and Britain's close ties with many of its former colonies puts it in a good position to press for global support.

"When we merely offer words of support, that's the easy part in one sense," Blair told CNN in an interview broadcast Sunday. "The hard part starts when we actually take the action, but I think that support will be there. ... There has to be a response to bring those terrorists who committed this attack to account and we will play our full part."

Britain frequently acts as the main partner alongside the United States in military conflicts _ British jets fly alongside the Americans in patrolling Iraq's no-fly zones, British troops work with their American counterparts in the Balkans and Britain played a leading role during the Gulf War.

That special relationship was fostered decades ago by fellow conservatives Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan, and nurtured by the like-minded Bill Clinton and Blair. While Blair and Bush come from different sides of the political spectrum, the British leader has been extremely vocal in his support since Tuesday's attack.