Bush and Blair hold talks on Iraq

Bush and Blair hold talks on Iraq

Top of the agenda will be the administration in post-war Iraq

President Bush and Tony Blair have been holding talks at Hillsborough Castle near Belfast about the conflict in Iraq - and the country's post-war reconstruction.

The two leaders are also discussing peace efforts in the Middle East and Northern Ireland itself.

Irish Taoiseach Bertie Ahern is expected to join the meeting on Northern Ireland on Tuesday, as are the leaders of the main pro-Good Friday Agreement parties.

THE AGREED THREE STAGES FOR POST-WAR IRAQ

Coalition forces maintain security while a sub-Pentagon department controls infrastructure and aid

Formation of a broad-based, multi-ethnic interim Iraqi administration

Eventual move to an Iraqi government

Full analysis of the details thrashed out so far

UK politicians give mixed messages over Iraq future

The two leaders started their third summit in as many weeks with a three-quarters of an hour stroll around the grounds of the castle in County Down on Monday.

Hundreds of anti-war protesters earlier gathered in Hillsborough to mount a protest against the Iraq conflict, but heavy security kept them away from the summit venue.

The US and UK have so far agreed a basic three-stage procedure for running Iraq after the war, but there remains much argument over the details and timing.

Both countries say the US will be in control in the immediate aftermath, with an eventual handover to an Iraqi authority.

The main point of difference is over the role of the UN and how long the process of handover should take.

Unity talk

The UK wants the UN to oversee a conference of Iraqis which would choose new leaders, with a special coordinator to supervise the process.

But the Americans want to limit the organisation's role to a humanitarian one.

Flying to the summit with Mr Bush on Air Force One, US Secretary of State Colin Powell said: "There isn't as much debate and disagreement about this as you might read in the newspapers.

"There is no question the UN will play an important role."

The military commander must be in charge for a period of time to stabilise the country

US Secretary of State Colin Powell

However he added: "The military commander must be in charge for a period of time to stabilise the country."

"The coalition, having spent the treasure, having taken the political risk and having paid the cost in lives, must have a leading role as we transition from a phase of hostilities to post-hostilities to reconstruction, to putting in place a representative government that belongs to the Iraqi people."

Washington would send a team to the Gulf this week to begin the process of putting together an interim authority, Mr Powell said.

As the talks got under way, Mr Blair's official spokesman also insisted there was unity.

At a time when some are accusing the president and the prime minister of being warmongers, it is obviously helpful for both leaders to stress their support for Northern Ireland's peace process

Analysis: Bush and Northern Ireland

He said: "The aim of all three voices in this: ourselves, the Americans and the UN, is precisely the same - an Iraq not run by us, not by the Americans or by the UN, but by the Iraqis as soon as possible."

The spokesman said relations with Europe and other "geo-political" issues would be on the talks menu.

Another of the summit's aims will be to kick start the Northern Ireland peace process.

Northern Ireland's power-sharing government was suspended last October amid allegations of IRA intelligence-gathering at Stormont.

Analysis from the BBC's Political Editor, Andrew Marr

Mr Blair and Mr Ahern are due to set out a joint declaration on Thursday - the fifth anniversary of the Good Friday peace agreement - aimed at restoring devolution.

The hope is that the IRA will respond by committing itself to peace "both by word and action", said the BBC's Ireland correspondent Mark Simpson.

Mr Bush is not expected to get involved with negotiations, but will urge the parties to resolve their differences and remind them the world is watching, he added.

Northern Ireland Secretary Paul Murphy on Sunday gave an upbeat assessment of the prospects of devolution being restored.

Summit unease

Some Northern Ireland leaders have expressed unhappiness at the holding of the summit.

Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams said the timing was "insensitive", and stressed his opposition to the Iraq "adventure".

SDLP leader Mark Durkan said he was "perturbed" by the bringing of the Iraq and Northern Ireland issues together.

Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble expressed concern that Mr Bush and Mr Blair might send out "mixed messages" to republicans.