25 July 2005
Tony Blair has held talks with with French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin in Downing Street.
Mr Blair said that there was a ‘great deal of common ground’ between the UK and France on how to deal with the threat from terrorism.
At a press briefing following the talks, Mr Blair expressed ‘deep sympathy’ for all the victims of the Sharm el Sheikh blasts.
"What the attack in Sharm el Sheikh brings home to us is, I’m afraid, the global state of this terrorism that means the murder of wholly innocent people for reasons that I think are beyond any form of excuse or justification."
He went on to say that he was ‘desperately sorry’ for the death of an innocent person shot by policemen at the end of last week in connection with the ongoing police investigation. He said the police are doing their job in ‘very very difficult circumstances’.
"I think it is important that we give them every support and that we understand that had the circumstances been different and for example, this had turned out to be a terrorist and they had failed to take that action, they would have been criticised the other way."
"It is important that we allow the police and support them in doing the job they have to do in order to protect people in this country."
The two leaders also discussed European issues and the ‘full range’ of international issues. Mr Blair said they had a ‘very good and amicable’ conversation on the EU budget.
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