10.2  |  Reconstruction: July 2004 to July 2009

569.  DOP(I) agreed that Mr Browne should take the lead in pulling together a

strategy for Basra, with the support of the Cabinet Office and assistance from other

departments.324 Mr Benn would monitor developments on electricity and power supply.

570.  Prime Minister Maliki announced on 18 June that Muthanna would transfer to

Provincial Iraqi Control (PIC) on 13 July.325

571.  Mr Browne visited Iraq from 18 to 22 June.326 He wrote to Mr Blair while in transit

between Baghdad and Basra:

“There is a tension between, on the one hand, our growing conviction that

reconstruction and better governance must be delivered alongside improved

security, rather than coming a few months down the track, and on the other, the

difficulties our FCO and DFID representatives face in getting out on to the ground

to do this.”

572.  The British Embassy Washington reported on 30 June that senior US officials

had confirmed that in response to UK lobbying, the Basra PRT was likely to receive

more than the US$15m allocated to other PRTs.327 The US Embassy Baghdad was

considering the exact amount.

573.  The US provided US$30m for the Basra PRT in 2007.328 The amounts allocated to

other PRTs for that period varied from US$80m (for Baghdad) to US$18m.

574.  Mr Browne sent Mr Blair an update on Basra on 4 July.329 Mr Browne advised that

he would be asking DOP(I) to agree a number of new projects which would be required

to support the “‘Better Basra Action Plan”, at a total cost of £30.7m for the remainder

of the financial year. That was “a relatively small sum given the strategic importance of

Basra”. The total comprised:

• £14.3m for additional UK support for the police (see Section 12.1);

• £11.4m for additional UK support for the judiciary, prisons and witness protection

(see Section 12.1); and

• £5m for a Rapid Response Fund for the southern Iraq Steering Group, to

support good governance and other priority areas.

324  Minutes, 15 June 2006, DOP(I) meeting.

325  Minutes, 6 July 2006, DOP(I) meeting.

326  Letter Browne to Blair, 22 June 2006, ‘Update on Visit to Iraq’.

327  eGram 28036/06 Baghdad to FCO London, 30 June 2006, ‘US-Iraq: Basra’.

328  Email Cabinet Office [junior official] to Hendrie, 18 February 2008, ‘US Economic Surge Information’

attaching Paper, [undated], ‘Snapshot of PRT Engagement in Iraq’.

329  Letter Browne to Blair, 4 July 2006, [untitled], attaching Paper, [undated], ‘Background on Additional

Basra Work’.

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