PRIME Minister Tony Blair will today concede that the war in Iraq "split the world", but will urge the international community to unite around the country as "the child of democracy struggling to be born".

Mr Blair's official spokesman said the bulk of his address to Georgetown University, in Washington, would deal with Iraq.

But the premier will also call for a new impetus in the Middle East peace process and the reform of global institutions such as the United Nations.

He will say the case for merging the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank - both concerned with helping developing nations - should be looked at.

Addresses

Today's speech is the third in a series of foreign policy addresses given by Mr Blair and completes the sequence.

He will draw on his visit to Iraq earlier this week to appeal for support for the fledgling democracy.

Mr Blair will say that Iraq is "the child of democracy struggling to be born".

He will add: "If Iraqis can show their faith in democracy by voting for it, shouldn't we show ours by supporting them."

The Prime Minister, on the last day of a 48-hour visit to Washington, which took in White House talks with President George Bush yesterday, will urge countries to consign disputes over the war to the past and call for a "new concord to displace the old contention".

He will say: "The war split the world. The struggle of Iraqis for democracy should unite it."

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