9.1 |
March to 22 May 2003
337.
On 14 May, the
Security Council met to discuss the draft resolution
circulated
on
9 May.212
Ambassador
Negroponte, Sir Jeremy Greenstock and the Spanish
representative
Ambassador Inocencio F Arias attended and answered
questions.
338.
The debate
centred on the creation of the IIA and clarity about the UN’s role,
on
whether the
OFF programme was to close and if so how, and on the legal
underpinning
of
reconstruction activities. Sir Jeremy “agreed we needed to be
clearer about the
political
process”.
339.
Following the
discussions, the US faxed to the FCO a revised draft of
the
resolution.
This included some minor drafting amendments (including the
Iraqi
Assistance
Fund reverting to its original title of Development Fund), removed
UN
immunity
from the Development Fund (which had been unpopular with several
Security
Council
members) and proposed new language which gave the Government of
Iraq a
shared role
in deciding whether 5 percent of oil profits should continue to be
paid into
the
Compensation Fund.
340.
Sir Jeremy
Greenstock briefed the FCO that the revised version “contains
a
few helpful
changes, but will not be seen as much of a step forward by the
Council”.
In Sir
Jeremy’s view negotiations had been constructive but there was “a
long way to
go on
substance”.
341.
Mr Straw told
Cabinet on 15 May that both the UK and the US “accepted
the
need for
improvements to the text” of the resolution in the light of
discussions in the
342.
Mr Blair said
that the resolution recognised the vital role of the UN, and called
for
the
appointment of a Special Co-ordinator who would be “involved in
every aspect of
activity”.
Although political progress was being made in Iraq, the immediate
priorities
were
security, health care, power and sanitation.
343.
Mr Llewellyn
reported to Mr Pattison on 15 May that informal contact
between
FCO and
State Department lawyers had resulted in an “emerging view” that
the draft
resolution
“takes us beyond the laws of Occupation”.214
212
Telegram
838 UKMIS New York to FCO London, 15 May 2003, ‘Iraq: 14 May
Council; Part two of two’.
213
Cabinet
Conclusions, 15 May 2003.
214
Minute
Llewellyn to Pattison, 15 May 2003, ‘Iraq: Draft Security Council
Resolution: Occupying
Powers’.
189