The Report
of the Iraq Inquiry
(c)
INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS. This is
where we will be judged by ordinary
Iraqis.
•
Get Bechtel
to conclude their sub-contract with Siemens UK asap,
so
Siemens can
help restore power capacity.
•
Set up the
national phone network.
•
Get UNDP
[United Nations Development Programme] and UNICEF
[United Nations
Children’s Fund] to sort out the power and water
supplies.
(d)
RESTORING NORMAL LIFE.
•
Sort out
the currency.
•
Open the
airports to civil flights.
•
Appoint x
to sort out the Iraqi media.
•
Press on
with security sector reform.”
55.
Mr Rycroft
also summarised Ambassador Bremer’s plan for the political
process,
which was
understood to be:
“–
Political
Council to form itself by July … will appoint interim ministers
in
consultation
with the CPA.
– … this
will then set up a number of Commissions
to carry out longer term political
reforms
…
– A
Convention
of 100-200 members … to prepare a new Constitution …
– This
would then lead to the full post-election
government.
–
Alternatively, there could be an additional phase of
transitional
government …
which could
be chosen by National Conference.”
56.
Mr Rycroft
added that “De Mello is broadly happy with this”.
57.
In a separate
email, Mr Rycroft explained to Mr Dominick Chilcott, Head
of the Iraq
Policy Unit
(IPU), that Mr Blair was “looking for some really big ticket
items to push”,
along the
lines of:
“1. Get x
people in to sort out the police.
2. Move y
US forces from a to b to improve security.
3. Get
Bechtel to build by x date a new power station in place
y.
4. Ask x
big figure person to go to Iraq to sort out the TV.
5.
currency
6. CPA
internal
7. setting
up IIA
8. Basra –
give CPA Basra $x million, and … etc etc.”23
23
Email
Rycroft to Chilcott, 4 June 2003, ‘Draft paper for the
PM’.
216