The Report
of the Iraq Inquiry
1042.
Lord Mandelson
visited Iraq on 6 April, at the head of a delegation
of
23 companies.612
The
objectives of the visit included:
•
underlining
the UK’s commitment to building a new broad-based,
long‑term
partnership
with Iraq, with a strong emphasis on economic and
trade
co‑operation;
•
countering
Iraqi complaints (from Prime Minister Maliki and others) about
the
lack of
interest from UK business, while assisting the business
delegation
to build
contacts with Iraqi Ministers and members of the Iraqi
business
community;
and
•
supporting
UK companies pursuing business in Iraq.
1043.
In Baghdad,
Lord Mandelson and the delegation met Prime Minister
Maliki.613
Mr Prentice
reported that the meeting had been “entirely positive” and a
“powerful
demonstration
of the new civilian focus to our bilateral
relationship”.
1044.
In Basra, Lord
Mandelson and the delegation attended an investment
conference
at Basra
Airport.614
Mr Haywood
reported that the event had been “timed perfectly” so
that the UK
could “demonstrate that whilst the military were drawing down, the
UK’s
commitment
to Basra continued”. The mood at the event had been “optimistic”,
reflecting
the mood in
Basra: recent polling showed that over 80 percent of Basrawi
businesses
thought
that the economic environment had improved over the past year and
would
continue to
improve.
1045.
The Iraqi
National Investment Commission, with support from DFID, hosted
the
Invest Iraq
Conference in London on 30 April.615
Mr Prentice
described the Conference
as the UK’s
“headline initiative … demonstrating in a practical way our desire
for a new
and
normalised bilateral relationship”.
1046.
Mr Brown
made a statement to Parliament on the UK’s involvement in Iraq
on
15
June.616
He reported
that the objectives set out in his statement of 18
December,
including
“to promote the reconstruction of the country, economic growth and
basic
services”,
“were being achieved”. On reconstruction, Mr Brown
said:
“Since
2003, the UK has spent more than £500m in Iraq – for
humanitarian
assistance,
infrastructure and promoting economic growth. Support to the
health
sector has
included 189 projects in Basra, including the refurbishment of
Basra
general
hospital and the building of Basra children’s hospital. As a whole,
the
612
Briefing,
[undated], ‘Visit of the Rt Hon Lord Mandelson to Bahrain, Kuwait,
Iraq, Abu Dhabi and Dubai,
5 – 8 April
2009’.
613
eGram
12764/09 Baghdad to FCO, 8 April 2009, ‘Iraq: Lord Mandelson’s
Visit to Baghdad,
06 April
2009’.
614
eGram
12607/09 Basra to FCO London, 7 April 2009, ‘Iraq: Lord Mandelson’s
Visit to Basra, 6 April’.
615
eGram
15041/09 Baghdad to FCO London, 28 April 2009, ‘Iraq: Invest Iraq
Conference, London –
30 April
– 1 May.
616
House of
Commons Official
Report, 15 June
2009, columns 21-23.
366