The Report
of the Iraq Inquiry
144.
In a press
conference, Mr Blair stated that he hoped that France and
Russia
would not
talk about vetoes but try to find common ground.
145.
In a press
conference following a meeting with Mr José Manuel Durao
Barroso,
the
Portuguese Prime Minister, Mr Blair set out that there had
been an attempt to
unify
people around a common position based on resolution 1441 to try to
disarm
Iraq
peacefully, but if that became impossible, the international
community had to be
“prepared
to take action”.44
He also
said that divisions between Europe and the US
would be
“very damaging” and that he was:
“… prepared
to try and find common ground, but we need others to be equally
willing
to do
so.”
146.
In response to
a question about what more could be given to find common
ground
with France
and Russia, Mr Blair replied:
“… if
France or any other country is simply going to say we will veto, no
matter what,
that is
obviously a very difficult position … [E]verybody, including France
and Russia,
accepts
there is not full co-operation … So I hope we won’t talk about
vetoes in any
set of
circumstances or in all sets of circumstances, but rather we
will try
and find
the common
ground that allows us a way through here … And what we are trying
to
do in the
Security Council now is to offer very, very clear ideas as to what
Iraq has to
do in order
to demonstrate it is prepared to disarm voluntarily.
“But let us
not be under any illusion, there is no way that Iraq will make
any
concession
or co-operate in any way without the threat of force being there
…
[M]y
concern is that if countries talk about using a veto in all sets of
circumstances,
the message
that sends to Saddam is you are off the hook …”
147.
Mr Straw
advised Mr Blair that the UK and the US should not push
the
second
resolution to a vote if they could not secure nine votes and be
certain
of avoiding
any vetoes.
148.
Mr Straw
suggested that the UK should adopt a strategy based on
the
argument
that Iraq had failed to take the final opportunity offered by
resolution
1441, and
that the last three meetings of the Security Council “more than
fulfil the
requirement”
for Security Council consideration of reports of
non-compliance.
149.
Mr Straw
also identified the need for a “Plan B” in the event that
the
Government
failed to secure a majority in the Parliamentary Labour Party
for
military
action.
44
The
National Archives, 11 March 2003, Press
Conference: PM Blair and Portuguese PM Barroso.
426