3.7 |
Development of UK strategy and options, 1 February to 7 March
2003
necessary,
“to be backed by a second resolution”, but it had had to reserve
its options if
such a
second resolution did not prove possible. That was what
Mr Blair had “spelt out”.
931.
Asked if the
Government should proceed without the express authority of the
UN,
Mr Straw
replied:
“We believe
there is express authority … There was a … a very intensive
debate
– about
whether … 1441 should say explicitly … that military action to
enforce
this
resolution could only be taken if there were a second resolution.
That … was
not
acceptable to a majority of members of the Security Council, it was
never put
before the
… Council. Instead … what the Council has to do … is to
consider
the situation …”
932.
Mr Straw
told Sir Patrick Cormack (Conservative) that Iraq had “been in
material
breach as a
matter of fact for some weeks now because they were told they had
to
co‑operate
immediately, unconditionally and actively”. He added:
“… we are
anxious to gain a political consensus, if that can be achieved
…
which
recognises the state of Iraq’s flagrant violation of its
obligations. As far as
… the
British Government is concerned, that is a matter of fact; the
facts speak
for themselves.”
933.
Mr Straw
also stated:
“What we
also believe, because we want this crisis resolved peacefully, is
that
the only
way you are going to get this active, immediate and full
co-operation by
Saddam
Hussein, even at this late stage, is if he realises fully what the
alternative
is … [F]or
all the suggestions that it is diplomacy that has brought about
what
co‑operation
there has been … it has come about … above all, by the fact
that
there are
now a large number of US and UK troops stationed on Saddam’s
doorstep
concentrating
his mind.”
934.
Asked by
Mr Andrew MacKinlay (Labour) how there was going to be
“proper
conscious
decision-making” about whether Iraq was complying, Mr Straw
replied:
“… we make
our judgement on the basis of the best evidence. I have to say
it
was on the
basis of the best evidence that the international community made
its
judgement
on 8 November. They had hundreds of pages of reports
…”
935.
Mr Straw
also told Mr Mackinley that:
•
“by simply
passing …1441” Saddam Hussein “readmitted the inspectors
having
said he
would not”.
•
“I have
seen nothing at all which says we have to take action
immediately
because of
military planning necessities. The point we are making …
is
that
the reason we want immediate compliance is because that is
what the
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