WASHINGTON, April 16 (UPI) -- U.S. President George Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair Friday reaffirmed their determination to hand political sovereignty back to Iraq June 30.
Increased violence in Iraq by groups Blair called reactionaries must not be allowed to succeed because a free and democratic Iraq was in the national interests of all.
"Our nations face a stark choice ... Britain and America and our allies can either break our word to the people of Iraq, abandon them in their hour of need and consign them to oppression; or we can help them defeat the enemies of a free Iraq and build the institutions of liberty," Bush said.
"The prime minister and I have made our choice. Iraq will be free. Iraq will be independent. Iraq will be a peaceful nation. And we will not waver in the face of fear and intimidation."
Both also said they welcomed U.N. efforts in fashioning the machinery for a hand over, which was part of an overall plan to rebuild and reconstruct the country as a symbol and model of democratic reform and progress for the region.
