The Report of the Iraq Inquiry

and distinct role for a … British Office [Baghdad] to pursue bilateral interests and begin

developing long‑term contacts”.188 There were also “many opportunities for TPUK and

British Council”, but expansion plans should be “moderated to match the availability of

accommodation and security assets”.

273. Further work appears to have halted until early 2004, when the FCO created

a project management team in London, with project managers in Baghdad and Basra,

to plan the UK’s post‑CPA representation in Iraq.189 The planning process is addressed

later in this Section.

274. In November 2003, the IPU reported that work on the flat pack Embassy had

stopped and that it would shortly be secured and waterproofed “until the security

situation is more permissive and work can continue”.190

275. In July 2003, the FCO put on hold plans to open a British Office in Basra by

the end of August in order to focus on strengthening CPA(South).191 Any staff already

identified for the British Office were to be redirected to CPA(South).

276. On 15 July, the IPU recommended to Mr Straw that the FCO establish “a limited

form of UK mission in Basra on 1 December 2003 which would be gradually staffed by

FCO UK secondees moving across” from CPA(South).192 The IPU recommended a total

of six UK‑based staff, including one from TPUK, and an unspecified number of local

staff. DFID and the British Council were reported to have indicated an interest in having

one representative each.

277. Mr Straw agreed the proposal subject to Treasury approval of the necessary

funds.193

278. A decision on whether to open a British Office in Mosul was postponed.

279. Mr Julian Metcalfe, Head of FCO Estate Strategy Unit, informed Mr Collecott on

30 July that efforts to identify premises for the British Office in Basra were “turning into

something of a joke” because of security constraints and the shortage of staff resources

in CPA(South).194

188 Minute Crompton to Chaplin, 5 September 2003, ‘Visit to Iraq: 31 August to 3 September’.

189 Minute Jay to Foreign Secretary, 6 February 2004, ‘Iraq: Post‑Transition Representation’ attaching

Paper, ‘Future UK Representation in Iraq’.

190 Minute IPU [junior official] to PS [FCO], 24 November 2003, ‘Iraq: Briefing for Visit – 25‑26 November

2003’ attaching Paper, ‘Background on Other Issues’.

191 Minute Crompton to Ehrman, 9 July 2003, ‘British Office Basrah’.

192 Minute IPU [junior official] to PS/Straw, 15 July 2003, ‘Iraq: Establishing a British Office in Basra

and Mosul’.

193 Minute Owen to IPU [junior official], 21 July 2003, ‘Iraq: Establishing a British Office in Basra and

Mosul’.

194 Minute Metcalfe to Collecott, 30 July 2003, ‘Basra Offices’.

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