9.1 | March to 22 May 2003

363. In a telephone call with Mr Blair on 19 May, Mr Gerhard Schröder, the German

Chancellor, asked for four amendments to the draft post-conflict resolution, which would:

• give the UN control of oil revenues;

• re-name the UN Special Co-ordinator the UN Special Representative;

• allow UNMOVIC’s mandate to continue; and

• lift sanctions for just one year, at which point the Security Council would discuss

them further.247

364. On the first, Mr Blair highlighted plans for a monitoring board, which would include

the Secretary-General’s representative. He suggested that the second and third points

could be accommodated, leaving his office to deal with the fourth.

365. Reporting the conversation to the FCO, Mr Rycroft observed that “this was a

positive signal … that Germany is close to a vote in favour of the draft resolution”.

366. A revised version of the resolution was presented to the Security Council on

19 May and “went down fairly well”.248 A vote was expected on 21 May, but was delayed

until the following day.

367. Sir David Manning and others met representatives of all seven Iraqi political parties

in Baghdad on 20 May.249 The Iraqi representatives objected strongly to references to

Occupying Powers in the draft resolution and said that “the SCR offered Iraqis less

freedom than had the 1920 structure which established the British colonial regime”.

Sir David responded that the phrase was a technical requirement.

368. One of the Iraqi representatives was reported to have commented that, while the

security situation in Baghdad was poor and not likely to improve in the next month or

so, the situation in Basra was also deteriorating, as the “rabble” got the measure of the

British forces.

369. Reporting on his visit to Iraq more generally, Sir David judged that “Baghdad

remains key; and the key to Baghdad is security”.250 But his view was that:

“… things did not seem as bad as painted by the media … There was no sense

of being under immediate threat. The mood still seems cautiously welcoming or at

least acquiescent – never hostile. But this could turn fast, if the security situation

is not sorted out fast. Breaking the pattern of lawlessness and looting at night is

particularly critical.”

370. Sir David considered that police training “could have a disproportionate

impact” and:

247 Letter Rycroft to Owen, 19 May 2003, ‘Iraq: Prime Minister’s Conversation with Schröder, 19 May’.

248 Minute Rycroft to Prime Minister, 20 May 2003, ‘Kofi Annan: Iraq’.

249 Letter Cannon to Owen, 22 May 2003, ‘Iraq: Meeting with Leadership Group’.

250 Minute Manning to Prime Minister, 22 May 2003, ‘Iraq: Visit to Baghdad and Basra’.

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