Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

DATE=5/29/03

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE=IRAQ / BLAIR (L)

NUMBER=2-303765

BYLINE=GREG LaMOTTE

DATELINE=BAGHDAD

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

INTRO: British Prime Minister Tony Blair Thursday became the first Western leader to visit Iraq since the fall of Saddam Hussein. V-O-A's Greg LaMotte reports Mr. Blair met with British and American officials and Iraqi school children in the southern Iraqi city of Basra.

TEXT: The prime minister told several hundred British troops in Basra Thursday that the defeat of Saddam Hussein was a momentous and mighty act for the people of Iraq.

/// BLAIR ACT ///

When people look back on this time, I honestly believe they will see this as one of the defining moments of the century.

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Mr. Blair was in Basra visiting British troops, who control Iraq's second largest city. He also met with the U-S administrator in Iraq, Paul Bremer, to discuss reconstruction.

The prime minister said the war to oust Saddam's regime and the Israeli-Palestinian peace process would help bring hope to a troubled region of the world.

/// BLAIR ACT ///

This area of the world has been the source of probably more instability, more terrorism, more difficulty in managing world affairs than any other region in the world.

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Mr. Blair also visited a school in Basra. He then traveled to the port city of Umm Qasr to inspect a British mine sweeping vessel.

Britain committed 45-thousand troops to the U-S-led effort to oust Saddam Hussein. Thirty-four of its troops were killed, either in combat or accidents.

Earlier Thursday, a U-S soldier was killed during an ambush on a main supply route in Iraq.

He was the fifth U-S soldier killed this week by armed attackers. (Signed)

NEB/GL/KL/MEM/RH