The Report of the Iraq Inquiry

359. Mr Straw held a meeting to discuss Iraq on 18 March, addressing preparations for

Mr Blair’s visit to the US, the current discussions between Iraq and the UN and public

and Parliamentary handling.159 The last item comprised:

“– Media strategy … and the next steps in the run-up to Crawford.

–– Handling of paper for public use on WMD programmes of concern.

–– Ensuring co-ordination.”

360. After the meeting, Mr Straw’s Private Secretary recorded in relation to the public

presentation of WMD:

“[T]he JIC paper for publication should be solely about Iraq. The Foreign Secretary

has discussed this with Alastair Campbell, who agreed. The Foreign Secretary

suggests the paper resemble Michael Williams’ paper for the PLP, with the meat of

the JIC material inserted, so that it covers the range of concerns about Iraq but also

draws explicitly on intelligence material. He is content, thereafter, for a more general

paper on WMD, including other countries programmes, to be issued.”160

361. Mr Straw would write to Mr Blair “to flag up the main issues for Crawford, including

a media strategy beforehand”.

362. Mr Straw would be:

“… willing to brief the Diplomatic Correspondents and the Muslim media on Iraq,

perhaps launching the JIC paper. Overall, we should continue to highlight the

WMD threat, increase the profile of the UN angle and play down the prospect for

military action.”

363. Mr Straw agreed that the FCO News Department/CIC should be reinforced with

expertise on Iraq.

364. Mr Straw’s request for advice on a media strategy and the legal issues is

addressed in Section 3.2.

365. Mr Campbell wrote to Mr Scarlett, Mr Powell, Sir David Manning and others on

19 March, stating that he had discussed the draft with Mr Straw and others and:

“The general view, including Jack’s, is that with such a focus on the public debate on

Iraq at the moment, we may be trying to do too much by looking at Iran and North

Korea too.”161

366. Mr Campbell added that Mr Straw was making a speech to the Foreign Policy

Centre on 25 March and “was wondering” whether an “Iraq only version” of the

159 Minute Patey to PS [FCO], 15 March 2002, ‘Secretary of State’s Meeting – Iraq: Monday 18 March’.

160 Minute Sedwill to Patey, 18 March 2002, ‘Iraq’.

161 Minute Campbell to Scarlett and others, 19 March 2002, [untitled].

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