9.2 | 23
May 2003 to June 2004
681.
Gen Jackson
visited Iraq again from 15 to 18 January and noted a
changed
atmosphere
since September:
“There is a
real sense of improvement in all areas and especially in security.
Whilst
there is
still much to play out, particularly in the political piece, the
impression is
that the
Coalition has turned a very significant corner. Notwithstanding the
most
recent and
large VBIED [Vehicle Borne Improvised Explosive Device]
attack
on the day
of our departure, there has been a significant downturn in
incidents
against the
Coalition.”377
682.
On 19 January,
a small delegation of GC members visited New York at
the
invitation
of Mr Annan to discuss the UN’s role up to July 2004 and how
it could assist
after that
with drafting the Constitution and with holding
elections.378
683.
At the
meeting, the UN agreed to consider sending a specialist team to
examine
the
feasibility of elections before July 2004.
684.
The Annotated
Agenda for the AHMGIR’s meeting on 22 January reported
that
Mr Annan
had signalled his intention to appoint Mr Lakhdar Brahimi, his
retiring Special
Adviser on
Afghanistan, as his Special Adviser on Iraq.379
685.
Mr Brahimi’s
appointment was welcomed by the UK, although there were
concerns
that the UN
team might suggest that direct elections were possible prior to
July 2004, or
that they
were essential to underwrite a transitional government, and that
the transition
should be
delayed.
686.
In a video
conference with President Bush on 20 January, Mr Blair
offered
the view
that Iraqi political opinion was becoming increasingly diverse as a
result
of
“democratisation”.380
The US and
UK had to get the June 2004 transition and the
Security
Agreement right.
687.
The paper
requested from the FCO on 5 January, covering the political
process
through
transition, how and when the UN could best be involved and what
civil and
military US
and UK structures were envisaged after the June transition, was
provided to
Mr Rycroft
by Mr Straw’s Private Secretary on 22 January.381
377
Minute CGS
to CDS, 21 January 2004, ‘CGS Visit to Op TELIC 15-18 Jan
04’.
378
Telegram
319 IraqRep to FCO London, 21 December 2003, ‘Iraq: Progress on
Fundamental Law’.
379 Annotated
Agenda, 22 January 2004, Ad Hoc Group on Iraq Rehabilitation
meeting.
380
Letter
Cannon to Adams, 20 January 2004, ‘Prime Minister’s
video-conference with President Bush,
20 January:
Iraq, MEPP, US Politics’.
381
Letter Owen
to Rycroft, 22 January 2004, ‘Iraq’ attaching Paper [unattributed],
[undated], ‘Iraq: The Next
Six Months’
including manuscript comment Blair.
319