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Blair basks in `exoneration` of Kelly`s death

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

London, Jan 28, IRNA -- Prime Minister Tony Blair Wednesday demanded 
full retraction from those who accused him and his government of 
dishonorable or duplicitous behavior in relations to the death of 
former Iraq arms inspector David Kelly. 
"Let those that made them now withdraw them," Blair told MPs, 
repeating the words of Lord Hutton in his report into Kelly`s death 
that `false accusations` of fact impugning the integrity of others 
`should not be made`. 
He also called for a retraction from those who repeatedly claimed 
he lied or was dishonorable, underhand or duplicitous in the strategy 
to name Kelly as the possible source of the BBC report that claimed 
the government exaggerated Iraq`s arms threat. 
The prime minister was making a statement to parliament after the 
publication of Hutton`s report, which exonerated his government of any
wrong-doings in the circumstance leading to the death of the arms 
inspector last July. 
The report was particularly damning of the BBC, accused of the 
state-funded broadcaster of having a `defective` editorial system, 
allowing an `unfounded` report that made allegations against the 
government`s `integrity`. 
"We can have the debate about the (Iraq) war; about WMD; about 
intelligence. But we do not need to conduct it by accusations of lies 
and deceit," Blair said. 
HC/AH/210 
End