(11 Nov 2003)
1. Wide of banquet
2. Lord Mayor of London with British Prime Minister Tony Blair standing for national anthem at annual banquet
3. Wide of people at banquet
4. SOUNDBITE: (English) Tony Blair, British Prime Minister
"In eight days time President Bush makes his state visit to the United Kingdom. For many, the script of this visit has already been written. There will be demonstrations, his friends wonder at the timing, his enemies rub their hands at what they see as the potential embarrassment. I believe this is exactly the right time for the President of the United States to come. Let us be clear about what is happening in Iraq. Leave aside the rights and wrongs of the conflict upon which I admit there can be an entirely legitimate disagreement. What is happening now is very simple. It is the battle of seminal importance of the early 21st century. It will define relations between the Muslim world and the West. It will influence profoundly the development of Arab states in the Middle East. It will have far reaching implications for the future conduct of American and Western policy."
5. Wide of audience
6. SOUNDBITE: (English) Tony Blair, British Prime Minister
"Iraq and Afghanistan, not to mention Bosnia and Kosovo, illustrate another lesson. One supremely powerful nation or a small group in concert can win a war, but it take many nations to win the peace. And in such an enterprise there is no sane alternative in my judgement to America and Europe working together."
7. High view of Blair speaking
8. SOUNDBITE: (English) Tony Blair, British Prime Minister
"Like it or not and I do, the European Union and the United States have got to work together. Start from that point and a number of other things fall into place. Dismiss the illusion that there is somehow an old and a new Europe, one opposed to the US and on it's way out, the other the bright harbinger of the future to come. Yes, if some try to pull Europe apart from the US, others like us will resist firmly. But Europe is too much in common, too many shared interests, too many solid reasons for cooperation to have any intention of letting a temporary divergence of view becoming a permanent rupture. It's true also that there is an antipathy in parts of the French political establishment to America. But don't exaggerate it. And don't ignore the large numbers who know perfectly well that modern Gaullism must have a strong trans-Atlantic dimension."
8. Wide of banquet
STORYLINE:
Prime Minister Tony Blair on Monday conceded that U.S. President George W. Bush's upcoming visit to Britain would spark protests, but he defended the U.S.-led coalition's efforts to bring democracy to Iraq.
In a foreign policy speech at the Lord Mayor of London's annual banquet Blair said he accepted that many people were opposed to the war, but insisted they must now support attempts to restore stability and order to the country.
Blair's cozy relationship with Bush has antagonised many of his Labour Party lawmakers who opposed the war, and anti-war campaigners have promised demonstrations during Bush's visit.
Bush and his wife, Laura, will be the guests of Queen Elizabeth II and will stay at Buckingham Palace during their November 19-21 visit.
The trip comes at a difficult time for both leaders, given the coalition's failure to find weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.
Blair said it was vital the coalition succeeded in bringing democracy to Iraq and defeating Saddam Hussein's "small rump of supporters aided and abetted by foreign terrorists."
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