Most testing time to come, warns Blair

Blair promises to see the action through

UK Prime Minister Tony Blair has warned that the next few weeks are likely be the most testing time in the campaign against terror.

Speaking to journalists from the Middle Eastern press, Mr Blair indicated a new phase of military action following the air strike campaign was about to start.

This is a testing time, in fact I believe the next few weeks will the most testing time

Tony Blair

The prime minister stressed the "absolute need for restraint" in the Middle East in the wake of the assassination of Israeli tourism minister Rehavam Zeevi.

That message was echoed by Foreign Secretary Jack Straw during a visit to Turkey, where he "saluted the steadfast stance" the country had taken in the US-led action against terrorism.

Call for restraint

Speaking in Downing Street on Thursday, Mr Blair said: "The deteriorating security situation, the assassination of the Israeli tourism minister, the killing of a young girl today simply show the absolute need for restraint on all sides."

He said the vast majority of people who believed in peaceful co-existence had to "retake control of this process, to drive out the extremes of violence and disorder".

Mr Blair promised to see through the military action in Afghanistan despite calls from aid agencies for a pause to allow supplies to be delivered.

The UK was doing "everything we possibly can" to deliver humanitarian aid and the main obstruction to the aid effort came instead from Afghanistan's ruling Taleban, he argued.

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"This is a testing time, in fact I believe that the next few weeks will be the most testing time," Mr Blair continued.

"But we are on course, on track to achieve the goals that we set out.

"We took this action with very great reluctance, we took it because we had no option but to make sure that those who perpetrated the terrible atrocity of 11 September are stopped from doing this again."

Mr Blair said there would be further action to be considered but he would not be drawn on the shape of the next phase of the campaign.

"I don't think we have ever contemplated this being done by air power alone," he added.

Downing Street aides say the key message was patience and with Mr Blair counselling "great caution" over Taleban claims of civilian casualties from the air strikes, his words are part of the propaganda battle.

Mr Straw's visit to Turkey, whose population is 98% Muslim, continues efforts to keep together the international coalition.

After meeting Turkish Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit in Ankara, Mr Straw said he had used the talks to seek advice about the future of Afghanistan.

Advice on Afghanistan

"I sought the advice of Prime Minister Ecevit about the future of Afghanistan, bearing in mind Turkey's key political, geographical and historical position in relation to Central Asia and Afghanistan," he said.

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The foreign secretary, who is also holding meetings with Turkey's President Ahmet Sezer and Foreign Affairs Minister Ismail Cem in Ankara, also tried to quell fears that the US would launch strikes on Iraq.

Earlier, Mr Straw laid a wreath at the Ankara memorial to the founding father of modern Turkey, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, whom he described as "an inspiration to the world".

Influence in Afghanistan

Turkey has offered troops to help in the military strikes - an offer not yet taken up by the US but it already allows US aircraft to use its airspace.

But Mr Straw's visit is focusing particularly on Turkey's influence with tribal groups in north Afghanistan.

A UN-led process to deal with the reconstruction of Afghanistan was gathering speed, a British official said.

Meanwhile, International Development Secretary Clare Short, continuing her visit to Pakistan, underlined the importance of that work and insisted the bombing raids were not stopping aid from reaching the country.

"The best way of making rapid progress is to get some inclusive government, with the help of the UN, in place in any part of the terroritory as rapidly as possible," she said.