10.2 |
Reconstruction: July 2004 to July 2009
1015.
Mr Brown
met ACM Stirrup on 4 December for a “personal and
confidential”
discussion.595
On Iraq,
Mr Brown said that it would be important for the UK to
show
that the
withdrawal of UK troops was happening because the UK had completed
all
the tasks it
had set out. A “last push” on economic development was needed,
along
with a
communications plan for the next few weeks.
1016.
The 9 December
meeting of NSID(OD) discussed a Cabinet Office paper
on
arrangements for transition in Iraq.596
The paper,
which is considered in detail in
Section 9.7,
included an annex listing the components of the UK’s future
bilateral
relationship
with Iraq and how they would be resourced. In addition to the
diplomatic/
political
and defence relationships, the components were:
•
“Economic/development:
Influence Iraqi economic policy, including improving
the
climate for
foreign investment, help improve World Bank and IMF
engagement
in Iraq,
capacity-building on public finance management, continued
support
for the
Prime Minister’s [Mr Brown’s] economic initiatives and support
to other
departments’
work on investment, trade and higher education.” Work would
be
funded from
DFID’s existing Iraq programme (£20m in 2009/10 and £10m
in
2010/11)
and, potentially, from the Stabilisation Aid Fund. Staffing levels
would
be
established according to programme needs, with all in-country staff
based
in Baghdad.
•
“Energy:
ensure security of Iraq’s oil supply and long-term increase in oil
output
through
political lobbying on hydrocarbons legislation and national energy
policy
and
regional support.” Work would be undertaken primarily by FCO
staff.
•
“Commercial:
support for trade missions, UK investor visits and political
lobbying
to ensure a
level playing field for UK experts/investors.” A new,
short-term
International
Business Specialist would provide recommendations in early
2009
on exactly
what resources were needed.
•
“Educational:
increased collaboration with Iraqi educational institutions,
civil
society,
student exchanges and English language training, to be funded by
the
British
Council.”
1017.
At the
meeting, Mr Brown outlined “strong progress” on the UK’s four
key tasks
(training
the Iraqi Army, promoting economic development, readying Basra
Airport for
transfer to
Iraqi control and preparing for provincial
elections).597
1018.
Mr Brown
concluded that more should be done to improve economic
development
and
prospects for investment, including with ministries in Baghdad. A
visit by Lord
Mandelson,
Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform,
would
be welcome.
It would also be important to make progress with the Hydrocarbons
Law.
595
Letter
Catsaras to Rimmer, 4 December 2008, ‘Prime Minister’s Meeting with
Chief of Defence Staff,
4 December’.
596
Paper by
Cabinet Office Officials, 8 December 2008, ‘Iraq: Arrangements for
Transition’.
597
Minutes, 9
December 2008, NSID(OD) meeting.
361