New G8 split on Iraq

Tony Blair and George Bush tried to paper over fresh splits on Iraq today by hailing new plans to spread democracy throughout the Middle East and Africa.

The two leaders used the final day of the G8 summit of world leaders to agree fresh proposals to cut debt for the poorest nations, as part of a wider drive to tackle the root causes of terrorism.

Following unanimous backing for plans to kick-start the stalled Middle East road map for peace, Mr Blair today held private talks with Russian president Vladimir Putin to explore new ways of breaking the deadlock. Russia is one of the "Quartet Group", along with the United Nations, the US and the EU, which has been seeking to spearhead progress.

The summit of eight leading industrialised nations - the US, UK, Russia, Canada, France, Germany,

Japan and Italy - was drawing to a close on remote Sea Island, near Savannah, Georgia. But despite this week's historic UN vote on the future of Iraq, fresh controversy broke out when French president Jacques Chirac swiftly slapped down moves by President Bush and Mr Blair to get Nato involved in the country. Mr Chirac questioned whether it would be timely or appropriate for Nato troops to take over.

Mr Blair and Mr Bush were clearly buoyed by unanimous backing this week for a UN Security Council resolution endorsing the handover of sovereignty to Baghdad at the end of this month. But as President Chirac's remarks underlined once again the deep split within the West over Iraq, the Americans and British preferred to concentrate on new G8 agreement over financial and political reform in Africa and the Middle East.

The focus at the summit today switched to Africa and the reform and aid needed there. Britain and America have agreed to make the future of the continent one of the centrepieces of their successive chairmanships of the G8. Next year's summit will be held in the UK.

Britain has been working to secure an agreement on a debt relief package to help lift African nations out of poverty.

The G8 leaders outlined plans to train and equip more than 50,000 peacekeepers over the next five years, particularly for deployment in Africa. US officials said the idea had grown out of African requests for assistance in ending the civil wars that plague the continent. The scourge of HIV/Aids was also likely to be the focus of talks with several African leaders, including South Africa's Thabo Mbeki, specially invited to the gathering.

And in a key concession to France and other critics of the US, the G8 statement agreed last night said: "Our support for reform in the region will go hand in hand with our support for a just, comprehensive and lasting settlement for the Arab-Israeli conflict".

Instead of flying home tonight, Mr Blair will travel to Washington for the State funeral of former president Ronald Reagan. Also present will be the Prince of Wales and Baroness Thatcher.

Meanwhile Iraqi prisoners allegedly tortured at a US military jail have launched a multi-million pound lawsuit against firms of civilian interpreters and interrogators accused of involvement in the abuse.

The writ, filed by Washington human rights lawyers on behalf of nine former inmates, includes allegations of conspiring to torture, rape and kill prisoners at Baghdad's Abu Ghraib jail. It accuses Titan Corp, which provided interpreters, and CACI, a private defence contractor which supplied trained interrogators.

"In order to meet quotas and crank out information, they simply violated human rights," said lawyer Susan Burke. Hundreds of other Iraqis are expected to join the group-action lawsuit.

CACI said the allegations were "false and malicious". Titan said it would " vigorously" contest the suit.