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Ahern backs 'great leader' Blair Ahern backs 'great leader' Blair
(about 2 hours later)
Irish prime minister Bertie Ahern has offered his strong support to his British counterpart Tony Blair.Irish prime minister Bertie Ahern has offered his strong support to his British counterpart Tony Blair.
The taoiseach praised Mr Blair as a "great leader and a great colleague to work with" on EU and Irish issues.The taoiseach praised Mr Blair as a "great leader and a great colleague to work with" on EU and Irish issues.
Mr Blair has confirmed he will step down within the next 12 months, but did not set a precise date.Mr Blair has confirmed he will step down within the next 12 months, but did not set a precise date.
Mr Ahern said he hoped Mr Blair stayed in office as the talks deadline for power-sharing between Northern Ireland's political parties looms.Mr Ahern said he hoped Mr Blair stayed in office as the talks deadline for power-sharing between Northern Ireland's political parties looms.
"We have a very busy agenda between now and November 24, so I look forward to working with him on that," he added."We have a very busy agenda between now and November 24, so I look forward to working with him on that," he added.
Mr Blair said the Labour conference in two weeks' time would be his last.Mr Blair said the Labour conference in two weeks' time would be his last.
He did not set a precise date but said he would do so in the future - when it was in the best interests of the country.He did not set a precise date but said he would do so in the future - when it was in the best interests of the country.
And he apologised for the internal rows in the Labour party over his exit saying the past week "has not been our finest hour, to be frank".And he apologised for the internal rows in the Labour party over his exit saying the past week "has not been our finest hour, to be frank".
Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Hain has given his support to Gordon Brown as the next prime minister.
He said that in the meantime the Labour Party should stop "navel gazing".
"I have no doubt that when the time comes next year, the party will choose Gordon to succeed Tony," he said.
Power-sharingPower-sharing
Mr Ahern said he hoped they could achievepower-sharing this year. He said the party had to focus not just on "securing an unprecedented fourth term but also on delivering the third term policy agenda on which we were elected only last year".
"Implementing these policies means an orderly handover not a chaotic putsch," he said.
"We were elected on a programme of government and we owe it to the voters to deliver it, not to engage in continual navel gazing."
Mr Ahern said it was after starting his third term of office that Mr Blair's problems began.
"He brought his party to power for the third time last year and then he got into all these difficulties," said Mr Ahern in Dublin."He brought his party to power for the third time last year and then he got into all these difficulties," said Mr Ahern in Dublin.
"In my view Tony Blair is a great leader and a great prime minister and a great colleague to work with, both in Europe and on Irish matters.""In my view Tony Blair is a great leader and a great prime minister and a great colleague to work with, both in Europe and on Irish matters."
Mr Ahern and Mr Blair are expected to meet the Northern Ireland parties at talks in Scotland following the publication of the Independent Monitoring Commission (IMC) report early next month.Mr Ahern and Mr Blair are expected to meet the Northern Ireland parties at talks in Scotland following the publication of the Independent Monitoring Commission (IMC) report early next month.
Mr Ahern told a meeting of his Fianna Fail parliamentary party on Monday that he and Mr Blair were working closely on devising alternatives if political talks were not successful.