4.4 | The
search for WMD
302.
Reporting on
the subsequent discussion in informal consultations, Sir
Jeremy
Greenstock
stated that most members of the Council saw a future role for
UNMOVIC
and asked
to be kept updated on Coalition activities.150
303.
In June,
the Government set up two bodies to improve oversight
and
co‑ordination
of the UK approach to Iraqi WMD:
•
the JIC
Sub-Committee on Iraq/WMD, responsible to the JIC for
“strategic
co-ordination
of all intelligence implications related to Iraq’s WMD
programmes”,
including Parliamentary and media issues; and
•
the WMD
Task Force, with a focus on the ISG and information
flows
between
London, Washington and Iraq.
304.
On
3 June, after a discussion with Sir David Manning and Sir
David Omand,
Mr Scarlett
informed Sir David Manning that he proposed to establish a “Working
Group”
on Iraq/WMD
which would act as a sub-committee of the JIC.151
“The
current public debate about WMD in Iraq raises a series of basic
questions
about
intelligence, its collection, assessment and role in policy making
and public
presentation.
It therefore touches upon the vital interests of the
intelligence
community.
The management of our community response, indeed the
response
of the
Government, to these questions will be complicated and likely to
remain
a
requirement for some time. We need to consider whether we have the
right
structures
in place to co-ordinate this to the best effect.”
306.
The Group
would need to meet regularly to address:
•
“Exploitation
in Iraq and elsewhere …”;
•
“Arrangements
for assessing the results …”;
•
“Public
policy issues”, including “Parliamentary aspects” and “support for
the
Government
response to the ISC Inquiry”;
•
“Public
presentation”, including “proactive and reactive responses to
media
coverage”;
•
“Co-ordination
with US Agencies and authorities.”
307.
The Group
would not be large, but should include representatives from the
FCO,
the MOD,
DIS, SIS, Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) and OD
Sec.
Membership
should be at a senior level.
150
Telegram
942 UKMIS New York to FCO London, 6 June 2003, ‘Iraq: Blix
Briefing on 13th UNMOVIC
Quarterly
Report’.
151
Minute
Scarlett to Manning, 3 June 2003, ‘Iraq/WMD: JIC
Co-ordination’.
483