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The Report of the Iraq Inquiry
742.  Mr Benn was also advised that the final component of DFID’s IISP, the Basra
water towers, should be completed in October; that would conclude DFID’s direct
infrastructure work.
743.  Maysan transferred to PIC on 18 April. Maysan was the third province within
MND(SE) to transfer, Muthanna and Dhi Qar having done so in July and September
2006 respectively. This left Basra as the only province for which the UK retained
security responsibility.
744.  Section 9.5 describes the UK’s focus in early 2007 on encouraging the Iraqi
Government to do more to promote reconciliation in Iraq, against a background of
continuing sectarian violence. The UK saw a Hydrocarbons Law as one element of an
effective reconciliation process.
745.  Mr Richard Jones, Dr Marsden’s successor as the British Consul General in Basra,
reported on 19 April that “out of the blue”, a demonstration against Governor Waili
“throws open the political future of Basra”.422 Mr Jones assessed that the demonstration
had been motivated in large part by “a straight power struggle” in Basra drawing on
concerns over corruption, and in part by national politics.
746.  Mr Robert Tinline, Acting Consul General in Basra, reported on 26 April that the
ongoing power struggle in Basra, centred on Governor Waili, was diverting energy
from other activity.423 Several key meetings on development had been postponed. If the
uncertainty dragged on, the UK would begin to lose momentum on key strands of work.
747.  Mr Browne briefed Cabinet on 3 May that the political vacuum in Basra threatened
to undermine UK efforts and the gains made by Op SINBAD.424 Governor Waili was
assailed on all sides and was ineffective. Militias were vying for political power.
748.  On the same day, members of the international community gathered in Sharm
el‑Sheikh, Egypt, to launch the International Compact with Iraq.425 It was formally
launched by Prime Minister Maliki and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. The UN
described the Compact as:
“… a five-year national plan that includes benchmarks and mutual commitments
from both Iraq and the international community, all with the aim of helping Iraq on the
path towards peace, sound governance and economic reconstruction.”
749.  At the launch, Mrs Beckett announced that the UK would spend at least an
additional £100m on rebuilding Iraq.426
422  Letter Jones to Aldred, 19 April 2007, ‘Basra: Weekly Report’.
423  Letter Tinline to Aldred, 26 April 2007, ‘Basra: Weekly Report’.
424  Cabinet Conclusions, 3 May 2007.
425  United Nations, 27 April 2007, Fact Sheet on the International Compact with Iraq.
426  BBC News, 3 May 2007, UK pledges extra £100m for Iraq.
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