3.5 |
Development of UK strategy and options, September to November 2002
–
the
negotiation of resolution 1441
279.
Reporting his
most recent discussions in New York, Sir Jeremy
Greenstock
repeated
his warning that:
“Starting
publicly with ‘all necessary means’ and then losing it risks
looking like a
defeat and
undermining any subsequent argument that we have legal cover
for
280.
In his
speech to the Labour Party Conference on 1 October, Mr Blair
briefly set
out the
arguments for acting in a global partnership, and for the UK to
“help shape”
the new
world through its friendship with the US and its membership of the
EU.
281.
Mr Blair
also stated that in dealing with a dictator, sometimes the
only
chance for
peace was a readiness for war.
282.
Mr Blair’s
speech to the Labour Party Conference on 1 October was mainly
about
domestic
issues, but in his remarks on international relations he focused
on:
•
The need to
build “a new global partnership” that moved “beyond a narrow
view
of national
interest”. That was “the antidote to unilateralism”.
•
The basic
values of democracy, freedom, tolerance and justice were
shared
by the UK,
the US and Europe. But they were “human values”, not
western
values and
should be used to “build our global partnership” and be
applied
in an even‑handed
way.
•
Partnership
was “statesmanship for the 21st Century”.97
283.
In relation to
Iraq, Mr Blair stated:
“Some say
the issue is Iraq. Some say it is the Middle East Peace
Process.
It is both.
“Some say
it’s poverty, some say it’s terrorism. It’s both.
“So the
United Nations route. Let us lay down the ultimatum. Let Saddam
comply
with the
will of the UN.
“So far
most of you are with me. But here is the hard part. If he doesn’t
comply, then
consider.
“If at this
moment having found the collective will to recognise the danger, we
lose
our
collective will to deal with it, then we will destroy not the
authority of America
or Britain
but of the United Nations itself.
96
Telegram
1869 UKMIS New York to FCO London, 30 September 2002, ‘Iraq
Resolution: Discussions
with
Levitte and E10’.
97
BBC
News, 1 October
2002, Blair’s
conference speech in full.
251