10.2 | Reconstruction: July 2004 to July 2009

870. Section 9.6 describes negotiations between the UK and JAM1.

871. Mr Miliband was advised on 7 December that Prime Minister Maliki and

Governor Waili had met on 5 December and “cleared the air between them”, paving

the way for PIC.507

872. Lt Gen Rollo reported on 10 December that with Prime Minister Maliki and

Governor Waili now reconciled, the UK had to focus on how the promises to be made

at the Basra Development Forum would be kept:

“General Petraeus’ challenge, reiterated to each UK visitor, to fulfil our Prime

Minister’s intent has been very clear. Barham Salih [the Deputy Prime Minister]

underlined this point when he spoke to the MOD and FCO Permanent Secretaries

who visited this week along with the DFID Director covering the Middle East. He said

that while long term capacity building remained essential, ‘jump starting’ was now

necessary … That should give us our lead. The way that money has been poured

into Anbar, by both the US and the GOI [Iraqi Government], to reinforce success is

also setting the standard; recognising that in counter-insurgency operations, all the

lines of operation must be properly supported.” 508

873. Prime Minister Maliki and Governor Waili jointly hosted a meeting of the Basra

Development Forum at Basra International Airport on 12 December.509 Mr Alexander

represented the UK. Mr Salih formally launched the BDC and Mr Alexander announced

Mr Wareing’s appointment as its co-chair.510

874. Mr Prentice reported the following day that the Forum had been a “hugely

successful event” which struck “an optimistic note on the governance and economic

agenda to complement the security handover” which was due to take place four days

later.511 The Forum had:

• focused the attention of local and central Government on Mr Brown’s economic

initiatives, and what needed to be done to implement them;

• allowed Prime Minister Mailiki and Governor Waili to publicly bury the hatchet.

At Prime Minister Maliki’s insistence, Governor Waili had pledged to tackle

corruption and improve governance;

• showed Basra that Baghdad cared. Prime Minister Maliki had not visited Basra

since July 2006; and

• been “authentically Iraqi and Basrawi”, rather than a creation of the PRT.

507 Minute Paterson to PS/Foreign Secretary, 7 December 2007, ‘Iraq – Basra Developments’.

508 Minute Rollo to CDS, 10 December 2007, ‘SBMR-I’s Weekly Report (280) 9 Dec 07’.

509 eGram 50733/07 Baghdad to FCO London, 13 December 2007, ‘Iraq: Basra Development Forum’.

510 Letter Jones to Aldred, 13 December 2007, ‘Basra: Situation Report’.

511 eGram 50733/07 Baghdad to FCO London, 13 December 2007, ‘Iraq: Basra Development Forum’.

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