Blair mentions war, but not THE war

Tony and Cherie Blair and Helen Clark arrive at last night's reception at the Auckland Town Hall. Picture / Greg Bowker

British Prime Minister Tony Blair avoided a noisy anti-war protest and put aside his growing leadership woes last night to thank New Zealand for "answering the call" of war.

Mr Blair was referring to New Zealand's contribution to the two world wars - and not the Iraq conflict which is eroding his premiership - when he spoke off the cuff at a reception hosted by Prime Minister Helen Clark and the Auckland Chamber of Commerce.

The very existence of his country had been at stake, he said.

"It was a remarkable thing for people in New Zealand ... to be prepared to come forward and defend our country and its liberty and, in doing so, I've do doubt, defend the liberties of the wider world.

"But it was somewhat more easy to see that closer to the conflict than it must have been for people here. And yet they answered the call without any hesitation at all and that's something that no country forgets."

He avoided any mention of the war in Iraq, though Helen Clark in her speech made a pointed reference to New Zealand's reconstruction contribution there, saying our military engineers had been well supported there by their British counterparts.

Mr Blair made his entrance at the back of the Town Hall, avoiding a demonstration of about 200 that condemned him joining United States President George W. Bush in the war in Iraq. But he did not avoid protest altogether.

Green MP Keith Locke, who attended the function in the hall, said that at the reception he had handed Mr Blair a letter signed by six peace activists thanking him for his stand on the Kyoto Protocol but asking him to withdraw British troops from Iraq.

Mr Locke said Mr Blair put the letter in his pocket after Helen Clark had assured him: "It isn't a bomb; he's a peace person."

Both Mr Blair and Helen Clark made reference to defence co-operation.

Mr Blair repeated the call he made in Australia on Monday for Europe to take down its trade barriers.

The domestic flattery did not end with the two world wars.

He said it was not always apparent just how one's country was seen from the outside "and New Zealand today is seen as very exciting and dynamic. I think that people recognise it for the contribution it makes, not just to the region but to the wider world".

And he said he had "long respected and admired" Helen Clark.

Further defence co-operation is to be one of the issues on the agenda of their bilateral talks this morning.

But Mr Blair is also expected to face pressure at a press conference over his leadership and a newly leaked memo that suggests President Bush made it clear to him in 2003 he wanted to invade Iraq, whether or not there were weapons of mass destruction.

Mr Blair arrived in Auckland last night having ignited a fresh controversy in Australia after telling an ABC journalist "maybe it was a mistake" to have said before the last election that he would not lead Labour into a fourth election.

He said in 2004 that he would serve a "full" term but did not define it.

And he has also reportedly set a date for departure from Downing St, but is keeping it even from close aides.

"It was an unusual thing for me to say, but people kept asking me the question so I decided to answer it. Maybe that was a mistake."

* Mr Blair will have lunch today on the yacht of millionaire publisher Barry Colman.