1.2 |
Development of UK strategy and options, September 2000 to September
2001
311.
Mr Blair spoke
to President Vladimir Putin on 27 June, but without
reaching
agreement
on the UK proposals.167
312.
Mr Blair spoke
separately to Presidents Chirac and Bush on 29 June. The
record
confirms
Sir Jeremy’s account of the French position.168
313.
The UN
Security Council adopted resolution 1360 on 3 July 2001, extending
the
OFF
programme by five months.
314.
An FCO
briefing for Mr Straw stated that the UK would use the time to work
on the
Russians,
who were seen as isolated.169
315.
In his
statement in the Security Council of the UK position after the vote
on
resolution
1360, Sir Jeremy Greenstock said that there was:
“… now a
wide sense across the United Nations that it is the right time for
new
arrangements,
such as those we have proposed … There is no good
reason
for
delay.
“… We
remain ready to engage in discussion of the implementation
of
resolution 1284
… But there is as yet no sign of a willingness by Iraq even to
begin
to
co-operate in meeting its obligations under that resolution or,
indeed, under other
resolutions.
Iraq consistently refuses to contemplate the return of United
Nations
disarmament
inspectors. Why, then, delay the adoption of improvements in
the
humanitarian
programme?”170
316.
The US
representative stated that a GRL, which was central to the new
approach,
had been
produced the previous week. It would have been adopted that day
“save for
the threat
of a veto. But a veto would bring our work to a halt and thus would
be a victory
for
Iraq.”
317.
Syria stated
that there was a need to take “a comprehensive approach …
leading
to a
resolution of the humanitarian issues facing Iraq and neighbouring
countries”.
318.
Mr Straw
visited Washington from 10 to 11 July.
319.
Briefings for
the visit from the British Embassy Washington and the
FCO
reflected
concerns that, following the failed attempts to secure a new
resolution, the
US
Administration could shift its policy away from diplomatic
containment and towards
167
Letter
Sawers to McDonald, 27 June 2001, ‘Telephone Conversation with
Russian President: Iraq’.
168
Letter
Sawers to McDonald, 29 June 2001, ‘Prime Minister’s Telephone Calls
to President Chirac and
President
Bush Iraq’.
169
Briefing
FCO, [undated], ‘Secretary of State’s visit to the United States:
10-11 July 2001 Iraq’.
170
UN Security
Council, ‘4344th Meeting Tuesday 3 July 2001’
(S/PV.4344).
171
Telegram
765 Washington to FCO London, 5 July 2001, ‘Your Visit to
Washington: Foreign Policy
Issues’;
Briefing FCO, [undated], ‘Secretary of State’s Visit to the United
States: 10-11 July 2001 Iraq’.
251