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'Mistakes were made in Iraq'
23/06/2007 15:58 - (SA)
London - Britain's next prime minister Gordon Brown has apologised for mistakes in intelligence made in the run-up to the Iraq war in a BBC television interview on Friday.
Brown has stressed that he will push for a new emphasis in Iraq when he takes over from current premier Tony Blair on Wednesday but went further than before in his latest comments.
"We have apologised, and I repeat that, for the mistakes that were made in intelligence," he said.
"I think we've got to be honest about it that mistakes were made at the point of reconstruction after Saddam Hussein fell... mistakes made by all of us in the reconstruction progress," he said.
Brown also said that there would be clearer boundaries between intelligence and politics when he was in office.
"I'm setting in place what I think are far more rigorous procedures so that the intelligence is seen to be different from, if you like, any decision by a politician," he added.
"I want people to know that in future, they can be satisfied that, where public information is provided, it has gone through an authoritative process and it is free of political influence."
Hearts and minds
Brown advocated trying to win "hearts and minds" of Muslims in Britain by supporting moderates and attempting to freeze out extremists.
"It's a different approach that's got to be taken from now on," he said.
The finance minister, who voted in favour of the war, had previously accepted that "mistakes" were made in Iraq and called for more focus on political reconciliation and economic development.
He has, though, rejected calls from opposition politicians for an investigation into the government's handling of the war.
Blair has stuck by his decision to support United States President George W Bush over the 2003 invasion, despite the unpopularity of the move among many Britons.
On the "special relationship", Brown restated that he would stand up for Britain's national interest but added: "It is in our national interest that the prime minister has a good relationship with the president of the United States of America."
He ducked answering a question about whether Bush was "impressive" in person.
- AFP
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