9.2 | 23 May 2003 to June 2004

749. Mr Blair was advised by Sir Nigel Sheinwald that although there was some tension

in US/UK relationships on the ground in Baghdad, “The Americans of course accept

in principle that, as Occupying Powers, we have legal and political responsibilities and

must be consulted properly.”407

750. Sir Jeremy Greenstock told the Inquiry:

“I felt that if I was being cut out of politics … then I really wasn’t able to do my job as

London had asked me to do it. I don’t think this was a matter of Bremer not wanting

Greenstock in the room. It was a matter of Bremer wanting to sort out differences in

Washington without there being a non‑American in the room. But I felt that even that

was off‑side for my relationship with Bremer.”408

751. Sir Jeremy added:

“So we constantly had to press to get in to relevant meetings because it was

becoming increasingly difficult for Bremer to run the CPA with Washington, with

Blackwill inserted to watch over his shoulder, and he just didn’t want to complicate

his own life.”409

752. In spite of the complexities of the relationship, Sir Jeremy explained:

“I always felt that I – whether Bremer was aware of it or not, I was doing something

useful. For instance, in the negotiations with the Kurds over the TAL, where I

prevented the Kurds walking out, which Bremer wasn’t aware of, in the final stages

and negotiated some of the text with TAL when Bremer wasn’t in the room. I always

had something useful to do. I never had enough scope to do everything that I

thought would be useful.”410

753. In advance of Mr Brahimi’s report to the Security Council of his visit, Mr Crompton

wrote to Mr Straw’s Private Secretary on 16 February that his key findings would be:

“• that elections to a Transitional National Assembly are not possible before

30 June;

• that there should be elections some time between December 2004 and

March 2005 to an assembly with twin responsibility for legislating and drafting

the Constitution;

• that in the interregnum Iraq should be ruled by a caretaker government.”411

407 Minute Sheinwald to Prime Minister, 16 February 2004, ‘Iraq: Sir Jeremy Greenstock’.

408 Private hearing, 26 May 2010, pages 62-63.

409 Private hearing, 26 May 2010, page 63.

410 Private hearing, 26 May 2010, page 64.

411 Minute Crompton to PS [Foreign Secretary], 16 February 2004, ‘Iraq’ attaching Briefing ‘Prime

Minister’s VTC with President Bush: 17 February’.

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