Blair repeats his refusal to publish legal advice on Iraq war

LONDON - British Prime Minister Tony Blair repeated his opposition Sunday to the publication of the full advice he received from the government's top legal officer on the legality of the Iraq war.
"Governments never do" release such information, he said.
"It is confidential legal advice between governments and law officers," Blair said in a televised debate on the ITV network.
Britain's Attorney General, Lord Peter Goldsmith, gave crucial legal advice to the government in the run-up to the Iraq war to topple Saddam Hussein.
As Attorney General, Lord Goldsmith has the rank of minister within the British government.
Despite requests under a new freedom of information law which came into force in January this year, the legal guidance has not been released.
Opponents of the US-led, British-backed war in March 2003, have long sought access to the advice, saying they doubted the legality of the conflict under international statutes.

03/13/2005 17:47 GMT