The Report of the Iraq Inquiry

52. Mr Blair stated that Russia and China would be crucial and that it was “time to put

aside other geo-political differences and unite against a common enemy”.

53. A copy of the Note was sent to Mr Hoon’s Private Office, which was circulated to

senior officials within the MOD.

54. In the context of evidence about Mr Blair’s Note to President Bush of 28 July 2002

(see Section 3.3), Mr Powell told the Inquiry that Mr Blair:

“… had a habit of writing notes, both internally and to President Clinton and to

President Bush, on all sorts of subjects, because he found it better to put something

in writing rather than simply talk about it orally and get it much more concretely and

… in focused terms.”29

55. The UN Security Council adopted resolution 1368 on 12 September which stated

that the Security Council had:

“Determined to combat by all means threats to international peace and security

caused by terrorist acts,

“Recognising the inherent right of individual or collective self-defence in accordance

with the Charter”.30

56. Condemning the attacks “as a threat to international peace and security” the

Security Council called on:

• “all States to work together urgently to bring to justice the perpetrators,

organisers and sponsors of these terrorist attacks” and stressed “that those

responsible for aiding, supporting or harbouring the perpetrators, organisers and

sponsors of these acts” would be “held accountable”;

• “the international community to redouble their efforts to prevent and suppress

terrorist acts …”;

and expressed:

• “its readiness to take all necessary steps to respond to the terrorist attacks of

11 September 2001, and to combat all forms of terrorism, in accordance with its

responsibilities under the Charter of the United Nations”.

29 Public hearing, 18 January 2010, page 38.

30 UN Security Council resolution 1368 (2001).

322