10.2  |  Reconstruction: July 2004 to July 2009

484.  Mr Straw’s briefing for the meeting stated that the obstacles to deeper UN

engagement were “acute scepticism” within UN headquarters about Iraq and “justifiable”

UN concern that it lacked the transport and security assets it needed to do a decent

job.278 On the latter point, only the US had sufficient resources to help. The UK was

lobbying the US to engage with and support the UN, using the argument that an

empowered UN leading international engagement in 2006 offered the US (and the UK)

a way of gradually reducing their commitment.

485.  At the DOP(I) meeting, Ministers commented that a “new effort” was needed to

increase UN engagement in Iraq in 2006.279

486.  Mr Blair’s Private Secretary advised him on 17 January that the power situation

in Baghdad was “dire”, with only two hours of electricity a day.280

487.  In discussion with President Bush on 17 January, Mr Blair suggested that there

should be a big push on the UN.281 The UN had to show leadership.

488.  The Italian Government announced on 19 January that it hoped to withdraw Italian

troops from Dhi Qar by the end of the year.282

489.  The Cabinet agreed on 26 January to deploy UK troops to Helmand province,

Afghanistan (see Section 9.4).

490.  Mr Straw sent two IPU papers to Mr Blair on 7 February.283 Copies of Mr Straw’s

letter and the IPU papers were sent to DOP(I) members and Sir Gus O’Donnell, the

Cabinet Secretary.

491.  The first paper considered how the UN should transform its role in Iraq.284 The UK

wanted the UN to:

• contribute to the new international partnership that the UK envisaged;

• act as an honest broker between Iraqi communities, before and after

government formation;

• support provincial elections and the constitutional review;

• help reduce the risk of conflict in Kirkuk; and

• scale up their reconstruction and development presence.

278  FCO [junior official] to Foreign Secretary, 10 January 2006, ‘Iraq: DOP-I Meeting, 12 January’.

279  Minutes, 12 January 2006, DOP(I) meeting.

280  Minute Phillipson to Prime Minister, 17 January 2006, ‘VTC with President Bush, 1220 17 January

2006’.

281  Letter Quarrey to Siddiq, 17 January 2006, ‘Prime Minister’s VTC with President Bush: Middle

East Issues’.

282  BBC News, 19 January 2006, Italy to pull out of Iraq in 2006.

283  Letter Straw to Prime Minister, 7 February 2006, ‘Iraq: International Partnership and the UN’s Role in

2006’ attaching Paper IPU, 3 February 2006, ‘Iraq: UN Role in 2006’ and Paper IPU, 1 February 2006,

‘Iraq: Implementing the Concept from Security Coalition to International Partnership’.

284  Paper IPU, 3 February 2006, ‘Iraq: UN Role in 2006’.

277