The Report
of the Iraq Inquiry
149.
Mr Chakrabarti
wrote to Sir Andrew Turnbull on 1 April, confirming that the
new
groups
proposed in Sir Andrew’s draft minute to
Mr Blair:
“… seem the
best way to take forward the detailed implications of any
SCR’s
content,
and what can be done before its passing … The key will be to
agree
very
quickly on the work programme and to task those with the knowledge
and
experience
in the subject areas to take the lead while consulting others with
an
interest in
ensuring all the workstreams fit together into a coherent – and
affordable –
strategy.
We must draw on the lessons learnt from other post-conflict
situations such
as
Afghanistan, Kosovo, East Timor, Sierra Leone and
Bosnia.”
150.
Mr Chakrabarti
attached a short note setting out some thoughts on how such
a
strategy
might be developed and structured. He continued:
“The
Cabinet Office will pull all this together, but DFID is already
working on issues
in our area
of expertise under several of the workstreams listed. We are keen
to
work more
closely with HMT [the Treasury], MOD and FCO on areas such as
debt
and
reparations rescheduling, the use of oil revenues, security sector
reform, and
the
diplomatic and financial strategy for building consensus around
what needs to
be done.
Nicola Brewer will take the lead for DFID in the Cabinet Committee
senior
officials’
group. I hope there will be increased cross-membership of the
various
workstreams,
and that we will use the interdepartmental machinery at our
disposal
(eg the
Global Conflict Prevention Pool for security sector reform) to
ensure joined
up
working.
“In looking
at our areas of expertise, we are consulting the [World] Bank
and
[International
Monetary] Fund, UN development agencies, the EC
[European
Commission]
and other key bilateral donors as well as the US Administration
…”93
151.
Sir Andrew
Turnbull informed Mr Straw on 7 April that Mr Blair had
agreed a new
committee
should be established “to formulate policy for the rehabilitation,
reform and
development
of Iraq”.94
Mr Straw
would chair; other members would be the Chancellor of
the
Exchequer, the Defence Secretary, the International Development
Secretary and the
Trade and
Industry Secretary. The committee would be supported by a group of
officials,
chaired by
Mr Bowen.
152.
Mr Straw
chaired the first meeting of the Ad Hoc Ministerial Group on
Iraq
Rehabilitation
(AHMGIR) on 10 April.
153.
Section 6.5
describes how, during March 2003, UK officials considered
those
rules of
international law on belligerent occupation relevant to
reconstruction and their
implications
for UK participation in ORHA.
93
Letter
Chakrabarti to Turnbull, 1 April 2003, ‘Iraq: Rehabilitation,
Reform and Development’.
94
Letter
Turnbull to Straw, 7 April 2003, ‘Iraq:
Rehabilitation’.
28