Blair vows to heal US-Europe divide

Britain must build on European and US common values

UK Prime Minister Tony Blair says he wants to stop politicians on both sides of the Atlantic from creating a rift between America and Europe.

He told the Times newspaper that the "sensible majority" understood that what the two continents had in common was far more important than what divided them.

He warned politicians on both sides of the Atlantic not to ask Britain to choose between them.

There will always be people on both sides of the Atlantic who want to pull Europe and America apart

Tony Blair

And he said he would be prepared to address a political forum if one was set up to debate common problems and strategy.

His comments came as US President George W Bush was expected to call for Europe's support for expanding the war on terror to include the Iraqi regime of Saddam Hussein.

Jealousy

Mr Blair told the Times: "There will always be people on both sides of the Atlantic who want to pull Europe and America apart.

"There are some in America who simply dismiss Europe as not serious and some in Europe whose voices border on being anti-American.

Blair: Don't pull Europe and US apart

The prime minister said this anti-American sentiment in Europe was to do with "jealousy about America's position and concern about American culture dominating European culture".

He also put it down to the fact that "America is the world superpower and anyone who is pre-eminent always takes a bit of flak".

"I regard it as one of my tasks to say to people the whole time - don't pull apart Europe and America because the only people that rejoice in those circumstances are the bad guys, and America and Europe should stand together on most issues," he said.

"Secondly, don't tell Britain to choose between Europe and America."

Shared values

Britain's role was to act as a bridge between Europe and America, he went on.

Referring to the growing importance on the world stage of Russia, India and China, Mr Blair said that looking at the "big picture" it was hugely important that Europe and America remained together.

People should join the coalition of values they represented rather than siding with one or the other and trying to pull them apart.

Meanwhile - ahead of President Bush's six -day visit to Russia and Western Europe - the White House said that he would use his visit to Germany to call for backing for the removal of the Iraqi dictator and his weapons of mass destruction.

Condoleezza Rice, the US national security advisor, reportedly told ZDF television that President Bush would consult with the German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder about the growing "problem of weapons of mass destruction in the hands of really horrible regimes".