The Report
of the Iraq Inquiry
with the
President on the way ahead in the next few weeks. Unless
something
changes in
the next 48 hours, that will require pressing back very forcefully
to secure
our
interest, on another resolution and timelines. The subsequent
agreement will
have to be
clear beyond doubt in its particulars. After the last Camp David
meeting,
the hawks
immediately started to distort the outcome to their own
ends.”
767.
Mr Blair
decided to canvass the views of his European colleagues and
other
allies in
advance of the meeting with President Bush on 31
January.
768.
A joint
statement issued by the UK and seven other European
nations
on 30 January
stated that the international community should remain
united
in calling for
the disarmament of Iraq and that the Security Council
should
face up to its
responsibilities.
769.
The leaders of
eight European nations – Spain, Portugal, Italy, the UK,
the
Czech
Republic, Hungary, Poland and Denmark – produced a joint article
published
on 30 January
arguing that Europe and the USA must stand united.255
770.
The statement
set out the importance of the relationship between Europe
and
America and
argued that:
“The
transatlantic relationship must not become a casualty of the
current Iraqi
regime’s
persistent attempts to threaten world security …
“… success
in the … battle against terrorism and the proliferation of
weapons
of mass
destruction demands unwavering determination and firm
international
cohesion on
the part of all countries for whom freedom is
precious.
“The Iraqi
regime and its weapons of mass destruction represent a clear
threat
to world
security.”
771.
The adoption
of resolution 1441 had:
“… sent a
clear, firm and unequivocal message that we would rid the world of
the
danger
posed by Saddam Hussein’s weapons of mass destruction.
“We must
remain united in insisting that his regime is
disarmed.
“The
solidarity, cohesion and determination of the international
community are our
best hope
of achieving this peacefully. Our strength lies in
unity.
“The
combination of weapons of mass destruction and terrorism is a
threat of
incalculable
consequences.
255
BBC
News, 30
January 2003, Leaders’
statement on Iraq: Full text.
138