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Blair to testify before inquiry into Kelly death
Seoul, July 20: British Prime Minister Tony Blair said today that he was ready to appear before a judicial probe into the death of a British defence ministry weapons expert who committed suicide two days ago.
Seoul, July 20: British Prime Minister Tony Blair said today that he was ready to appear before a judicial probe into the death of a British defence ministry weapons expert who committed suicide two days ago.
"Of course there are things I will talk about to the inquiry, as will others," Blair said at a joint press conference here with South Korean President Roh moo-Hyun.
Lord Hutton has been picked to head an independent judicial inquiry into the suicide of David Kelly, 59, a mild-mannered ministry of defence expert on Iraq Weapons of Mass Destruction.
The former UN weapons inspector was singled out as the anonymous source of a May 29 BBC news report -- hotly denied by Downing Street -- that a key dossier last September on Iraq had exaggerated the threat of Saddam Hussein's arsenal.
Blair earlier emphatically dismissed demands for his resignation as he faced the worst crisis of his political career.
Following the summit with Roh which focused on the North Korean nuclear crisis, Blair told journalists that the probe should be allowed to uncover the facts of the case in an atmosphere of restraint and respect.
"But I think the right and proper process is that I speak to the judge who is the head of the inquiry in the way that other people will, that he is allowed to get on with his job, to establish the facts and then to give those facts and his judgement on them. I think that is the best way to proceed after a terrible, terrible tragedy," he said.
Bureau Report
Lord Hutton has been picked to head an independent judicial inquiry into the suicide of David Kelly, 59, a mild-mannered ministry of defence expert on Iraq Weapons of Mass Destruction.
The former UN weapons inspector was singled out as the anonymous source of a May 29 BBC news report -- hotly denied by Downing Street -- that a key dossier last September on Iraq had exaggerated the threat of Saddam Hussein's arsenal.
Blair earlier emphatically dismissed demands for his resignation as he faced the worst crisis of his political career.
Following the summit with Roh which focused on the North Korean nuclear crisis, Blair told journalists that the probe should be allowed to uncover the facts of the case in an atmosphere of restraint and respect.
"But I think the right and proper process is that I speak to the judge who is the head of the inquiry in the way that other people will, that he is allowed to get on with his job, to establish the facts and then to give those facts and his judgement on them. I think that is the best way to proceed after a terrible, terrible tragedy," he said.
Bureau Report