Bush visit welcome says Anderson

This week's state visit by US President George W Bush has been welcomed by senior Labour MP Donald Anderson.

The Commons foreign affairs committee chairman was speaking as final preparations were underway including a massive security operation in London.

He said US military action in Iraq had ensured the removal from power of a dictator whose appalling human rights record was well documented.

"I welcome the visit as a matter of respect," he told BBC News Online.

The Swansea East MP also had a word of warning for people who were planning to demonstrate against Mr Bush and his policy towards Iraq.

Luxury protest?

"People protesting should realise that one of the greatest infringers of human rights is no longer running Iraq because of the force of US military might," he said.

"It's a luxury we enjoy in a democracy to attack our strongest ally."

Mr Anderson held out hope that progress could be made on issues such as the internment of British citizens at Guantanamo Bay and the US steel tariff as a result of the visit.

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And he dismissed the suggestion that Mr Bush would exploit the welcome he was receiving from the British royal family in his bid to be re-elected for a second term next year.

"State visits are a decision by the palace based on the recommendation of the British government," he added.

Making the peace?

Mr Anderson - who this year announced he would step down at the next election after serving his constituency for more than 30 years - also stressed that a number of issues would be on the agenda in talks between the UK prime minister and Mr Bush.

They would include the recently announced intention to speed up the handover of power in Iraq, and the ongoing difficulties between Israel and the Palestinian people.

"There's a bilateral agenda and a wider agenda and there are implications in the visit for the UK's role as a bridge between Europe and the United States."

On Britain's decision to take the US side over the Iraq war, which caused difficulties with some of the UK's EU allies, Mr Anderson said: "I think the relations between the UK and our European partners have been restored pretty substantially."

Mr Anderson acknowledged that Mr Blair's relationship with Mr Bush was not as close as it was with the US president's predecessor.

'Closer to Clinton'

But he added: "I've talked to Blair and he does believe he can trust Bush - although personally they are not as close as he was to Bill Clinton."

On fears raised by protesters that they faced heavy-handed treatment if they demonstrated against US policy during Mr Bush's visit, Mr Anderson said it was important to strike a balance.

He said: "The balance is substantially this: between welcoming our key ally during a time of great international crisis and allowing freedom of speech."

Mr Bush and his wife Laura are due to arrive in the UK on Tuesday for a visit during which they will be entertained by the Queen at Buckingham Palace.

On Monday Scotland Yard increased from 5,000 to 14,000 the number of officers it will have on the streets during the visit.