10.1  |  Reconstruction: March 2003 to June 2004

that the regions should take a lead to sort out their own problems”. Sir Hilary stated that

this was particularly true since his arrival.

673.  Sir Hilary therefore requested:

• funding for the Essential Services Plan;

• immediate mobilisation of UK personnel to implement the Plan;

• “establishment of extraordinary financial and contractual arrangements to allow

exceptionally rapid disbursement and effects”;

• the mobilisation of industry, in the UK and elsewhere, to participate in the Plan;

• creation of a high-level task force in Whitehall “to make this happen”; and

• “a start now”.

674.  Mr Richmond offered a view from Baghdad on 2 September.376 He advised that,

after a slow start, the CPA recognised the scale and urgency of the infrastructure

problem. Ambassador Bremer had decided the answer was “simple: a massive injection

of funds to kick start the renewal of Iraq’s infrastructure”, and had bid to the US

Congress for up to US$18bn for that purpose. Whether or not Congress approved that

funding was likely to have a decisive impact on Iraq’s future.

675.  Mr Richmond commented that, while the UK could not match US spending power,

it would have to commit more financial and human resources, including:

• more money for essential services, especially in the South; and

• providing proper support and funding for the new UK staff in Iraq. Mr Richmond

recommended that the newly-appointed Heads of the UK-led Governorate

Teams should each be given £1m, to spend at their discretion.

676.  The meeting that Mr Blair had requested in his note to Sir Nigel

Sheinwald took place on 2 September.377 Mr Straw, Mr Hoon, Mr Benn, Gen

Walker, Sir Richard Dearlove (C), Mr John Scarlett (the Chairman of the JIC),

Sir Jeremy Greenstock (the Prime Minister’s Special Representative on Iraq),

Mr Sawers and No.10 officials attended.

677.  At the meeting, Mr Blair said that he wanted action on Iraq taken forward “with

a heightened sense of urgency”. He asked for advice on eight issues, on the basis

of which he would prepare a note for President Bush before a telephone call on

5 September, including:

• Infrastructure in the South. Mr Blair wanted “the maximum possible support

given to Sir Hilary Synnott’s proposals for immediate infrastructure projects

in the CPA(South) area, with appropriate military cover”.

376  Telegram 147 IraqRep to FCO London, 2 September 2003, ‘Iraq: Assessment and Recommendations’.

377  Letter Cannon to Adams, 2 September 2003, ‘Iraq: Briefing for Prime Minister’.

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