3.5 |
Development of UK strategy and options, September to November 2002
–
the
negotiation of resolution 1441
936.
Sir David
Manning proposed the establishment of an Ad Hoc Ministerial
Group
on Iraq to
Mr Blair on 12 September (see Section 2).337
Setting out
proposals for
membership,
Sir David wrote:
“This
leaves the question of what to do about the Attorney. I assume that
you
would not
want him to attend your Ad Hoc Groups except by invitation on
specific
occasions.”
937.
Mr Blair
decided to wait to set up a Cabinet Group.338
938.
There are no
records of Lord Goldsmith’s direct involvement in UK
Government
discussions
before his meeting with Mr Straw on 23 September, when
Mr Straw had
“stressed”
that Mr Wood “had his full authority to talk to Lord
Goldsmith”.339
939.
Mr Wood’s
letter of 24 September stated that Lord Goldsmith would be
“aware
of the
context and background” of the draft resolution and asked for his
advice.340
940.
Lord
Goldsmith told the Inquiry that a “number of difficulties”
had
“prevented”
him “from being more actively engaged” in advising on
resolution 1441.
941.
In his
statement, Lord Goldsmith identified three broad areas of
difficulty:
•
his Office
was not sent all the relevant documents;
•
he was not
sufficiently involved in Ministerial discussions; and
•
the
approach to seeking his advice was inconsistent.
942.
Lord Goldsmith
initially told the Inquiry that during the drafting of resolution
1441:
“I don’t
know whether every draft was being copied, but certainly some
drafts were
copied to
my office, not with a request that I should advise, which was
slightly
unsatisfactory,
because it was sort of ‘keep you in the picture’ but not actually
ask
943.
Asked to
clarify his comment that the arrangements for seeking his advice on
the
resolution
were “unsatisfactory” and that he had not been asked to provide
advice, Lord
Goldsmith’s
witness statement identified a “number of difficulties” that had
“prevented”
him “from
being more actively engaged” in advising on resolution
1441.342
944.
The
negotiation of resolution 1441 was difficult and at times
conducted
directly
between Mr Blair and Mr Straw and their
counterparts.
337
Minute
Manning to Prime Minister, 12 September 2002, ‘Iraq’.
338
Manuscript
comment, [unsigned and undated], on Minute Manning to Prime
Minister, 12 September
2002,
‘Iraq’.
339
Minute
McDonald to Legal Adviser, 24 September 2002, ‘Attorney
General’.
340
Letter Wood
to Adams, 24 September 2002, ‘Iraq: Use of Force’.
341
Public
hearing, 27 January 2010, page 26.
342
Statement,
4 January 2011, paragraph 1.8.
367