Rice returns for talks with Blair

The US secretary of state had a dinner meeting with Mr Blair

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has met Prime Minister Tony Blair after returning to the UK from a surprise trip to Iraq.

Ms Rice, who had made the two-day trip to Iraq with Foreign Secretary Jack Straw, arrived at Downing Street for dinner with the prime minister.

The meeting was the latest engagement in Ms Rice's official visit to the UK.

Ms Rice also telephoned President Bush to brief him on the US and UK effort to stop political rows in Iraq.

Ms Rice and Mr Blair are said to have discussed Iraq, Iran, the Middle East and Russia during their talks.

The meeting was originally scheduled for Sunday, but was delayed because of the Iraq visit, where Ms Rice urged Iraqis to restrain militias and form a stable government.

During Ms Rice's visit to Liverpool and Mr Straw's Blackburn constituency, Ms Rice faced vocal protests from demonstrators opposed to the war in Iraq.