BRITAIN: Former British defence minister Geoff Hoon yesterday said Britain's decision to support the war in Iraq was "absolutely the right thing" and winning the peace was always going to mean "extraordinary times".
Speaking on a visit to Dublin, Mr Hoon, who is now the British minister for Europe, said the enormous efforts that have been made by people following the democratic elections must be emphasised. "Killings are still going on and we have got to deal with that," he said.
Asked about the interview with British prime minister Tony Blair on the English al-Jazeera channel on Saturday, in which he seemed to agree with David Frost that the West's intervention in Iraq has been a disaster, Mr Hoon said: "He didn't quite say that."
He added: "I think the war was absolutely the right thing to do and I think the trial of Saddam Hussein demonstrated that we were right to get rid of a man who was responsible for the deaths of 300,000 people in mass graves across Iraq."
In an address to the Institute for European Affairs, Mr Hoon admitted the heat had gone out of the European debate in Britain and public ambivalence prevailed. One of the key challenges was to inspire enthusiasm among British citizens for Europe.
"We must pick out areas and themes which already inspire people - the environment, development, the Make Poverty History campaign - and explain the necessity and significance of EU action in these areas."
Mr Hoon said the UK was a little envious of the EU debate in the Republic and referred to successful poster campaigns here that positively engaged young people. "We can certainly learn from the Irish experience."
He said the EU had been important in making progress on the peace process. "The UK and Ireland have worked together during recent EU budget negotiations for the next financial perspective to secure over €500,000 for the Peace II programme, which supports the peace process and the Good Friday agreement."
On enlargement, Mr Hoon said work restrictions on migrants from Romania and Bulgaria would be a short-term measure.
He called for a move away from protectionism in EU energy policy and said a liberalised energy market was necessary, supported by further deregulation.