WASHINGTON — New Brunswick Premier Bernard Lord says he's still not interested in leading a proposed new federal Conservative party, despite more pressure to leave home.

"I remain committed to the province of New Brunswick, so for me nothing has changed,'' Lord said Tuesday in Washington during a trade mission.

Former Ontario premier Mike Harris threw the leadership race into disarray on the weekend by saying he won't seek the leadership if members of the Progressive Conservative and Canadian Alliance parties ratify the merger deal to create the new party.

Observers have been speculating since then about a big push to change Lord's mind and to strong-arm other candidates.

Lord said he's "a bit disappointed'' about Harris's decision.

"I was actually encouraging him to run,'' said Lord, who's been in the United States on a trade mission since Sunday. "I think Mr. Harris would have brought immediate experience and expertise, could have brought a lot of people to the table.''

Lord admitted he's being urged to run for the leadership of the new party, and although he hasn't ruled out the idea, the premier said he's far from making that decision.

He said he's been getting a lot of calls and e-mails since Sunday, but hasn't had time to return them and hasn't talked to any party officials.

"I'll certainly return the phone calls that have been made and respond to the letters and e-mails. I do that anyway.''

Alliance Leader Stephen Harper and Conservative Leader Peter MacKay are expected to run for the job.

But with Harris out, the proposed new party doesn't have a high-profile, unifying force.

"I think it's more important to focus on making sure that this merger is ratified,'' said Lord. "If the merger is not ratified ... all this talk and speculation of new leaders will be pointless.''

Lord was aggressively recruited to run for the leadership of the federal Progressive Conservative party earlier this year, but he chose to continue as premier, and went on to win a drastically reduced majority in the June 9 provincial election.

The Tories, who had held 46 seats, fell to 28, with the Liberals boosting their numbers to 26 from seven and the NDP retaining its sole seat.

But Lord said his party's slim majority did not figure in his decision to remain as premier.

"I've received a mandate from the people of New Brunswick and that's where my obligation is, whether I have one seat, or (like) last year, I had 40 seats and I said no.''

But Lord said he wants the new federal party to do well in the next election and he'll help.

"Canada's slipping. That's why I want this party to succeed. Competition of ideas is necessary to strong democracy.''<

Lord said it's important that Canadians have a clear and credible choice in the next federal election. For that to occur, the new party should have a moderate stance on social issues, support bilingualism and be fiscally conservative, he said.

"There is widespread sentiment in our party to support this,'' he added. "To be successful in an election, this party will have to be a moderate conservative party.''

Lord, P.E.I. Premier Pat Binns and Gerry Byrne, the federal minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, led about 145 East Coast companies on a trade mission to increase exports to the Washington area.

More than 80 per cent of Atlantic exports go to the United States. Lord said he wants to expand trade between the four Canadian provinces and the U.S. eastern seaboard.