Bush and Blair affirm `special relationship'

President Bush last night expressed strong support for the Northern Ireland peace process and pledged to do anything he can to help, if asked to do so by the British Prime Minister, Mr Blair.

Mr Bush's comments came at the end of his first meeting with Mr Blair at Camp David yesterday where the US President also gave a strong endorsement of the European Rapid Reaction Force.

The two leaders, looking relaxed in open-necked shirts, spoke to journalists following a stroll in the wooded grounds of the camp. Mr Bush said Mr Blair was "a pretty charming guy".

Mr Bush spoke of the cementing of the "special relationship" with Britain and said that he was reassured "that whenever either of us get on line there will be a friend on the other end".

British sources said that the two leaders had a substantial discussion on the peace process and discussed British requests to cut funding to the Continuity and Real IRA by having them listed in the US as terrorist organisations. Mr Bush said he had asked Mr Blair if Mr Clinton's contribution to the Northern peace process had been useful. Told that it had, he said "I asked him to let me know if I can help. If there's any way that I can help I am more than willing to do so". But he said he going to wait for that call "because he has a better handle on it than I conceivably could".

Mr Blair said he was grateful for the offer but that "it was difficult to see the circumstances in which I might pick up the phone and ask for help".

The comments reflect both a reaffirmation of the US commitment to the process and determination not to let drop a ball Mr Clinton handled so well, but will be particularly re assuring to the British in their emphasis on waiting for their call. Mr Clinton, on a number of issues, explicitly broke with the British in the broader interests of the peace process, believing the relationship would survive such disagreements.

Mr Bush's support for the European Rapid Reaction Force will be welcomed in Europe although he continued to express US concerns in emphasising Mr Blair's hope that the EU would match their political commitment with moves to bolster their defence budgets. He said he had been assured by the British Prime Minister that the move would not undermine NATO which would remain the primary vehicle for European security.

In return Mr Blair soft-pedalled his concerns about the US proposals for National Missile Defence. Mr Blair declined to give outright support to NMD but said that he "shared American concerns" over the threats in the post-Cold War world from proliferation to rogue states. "It is very important in that context we discuss all means we can deal with it in terms of both offensive and defensive weapons," he said.

He welcomed Mr Bush's approach to the issue and willingness to discuss. The latter acknowledged that Mr Blair had asked "a lot of really good questions" but later insisted he still believed he could convince doubting allies of the soundness of the project.

On Iraq Mr Bush admitted that the current sanctions regime, due to be discussed in the UN next week, was "like Swiss cheese" and spoke of the need to forge a regional consensus against Mr Saddam Hussein. But if the sanctions regime was changed, Mr Bush said "it should not in any way embolden Saddam Hussein. If he develops weapons of mass destruction, we will take appropriate action. If he threatens his neighbours we will take appropriate action".