PM denies Iraq rift

Britain is not at loggerheads with the US over control of troops in Iraq, Tony Blair insisted today during a tense Commons grilling.

He said there was no difference between him and President Bush on the status of forces after the handover to an Iraqi government.

The Prime Minister was put on the spot by Michael Howard in the Commons after US secretary of state Colin Powell appeared to contradict him on whether the Iraqi government would be able to veto operations.

Mr Blair said there was a clear distinction between operational decisions - where military commanders would make decisions on the ground - and strategic decisions, which would be made with the Iraqis.

"We are both agreed there should be full sovereignty transferred to the Iraqi people and the multinational force should remain under American command," he told MPs.

There was no question of US or UK troops being under anything other than US and UK command, Mr Blair said. Talk of a policy rift came after Mr Blair said yesterday that the Iraqi interim government, due to take over on 30 June, would have the power to veto controversial coalition military operations.

But Mr Powell insisted US forces would "do what is necessary to protect themselves", even if Iraqi authorities object. He dismissed Mr Blair's suggestion the new government would have "final political control".

"Obviously, we would take into account whatever they (the Iraqis) might say at a political and military level," he said.

But he added: "Ultimately... US forces remain under US command."

The difference of opinion is the first public falling-out between Mr Blair and Mr Bush and throws into doubt the future of the draft UN resolution setting out the handover of power to the Iraqis.

Mr Blair's interpretation of the UN resolution appears to have been designed to win French, German and Russian support.

But France immediately made clear the wording of the document was not satisfactory.