The Report
of the Iraq Inquiry
17.
Attendees at
the Iraq Strategy Group were also told that increasing the
UN’s
engagement
in Iraq, including by the appointment of a new Special
Representative,
was proving
to be difficult.
18.
In their
conversation on 12 July, Mr Blair told President Bush that he
was
encouraged
by recent reports on Iraq; the key was now to maintain
momentum,
including
by pushing the UN to develop its role and by supporting Prime
Minister Allawi.10
19.
On the same
day Mr Ashraf Jehangir Qazi was appointed as the new UN
Special
Representative
for Iraq, with responsibility for the United Nations Assistance
Mission
20.
Mr Qazi was a
Pakistani diplomat who had been Ambassador of Pakistan to
the
United
States since September 2002.12
21.
The strategy
paper commissioned by the AHMGIR on 1 July was circulated
to
members of
the Defence and Overseas Policy Committee (DOP) on 13
July.13
22.
The
introduction to the paper said that it offered:
“… a
strategic look at the position we want Iraq to be in at the end of
January 2005;
risks to
our strategy; and priority areas in which the UK can help ensure
success.”
23.
The following
objectives were proposed in the paper:
•
Political
{{an
elected Transitional National Government which enjoys broad
domestic
and
international support; and
{{increased
international support for the IIG.
•
Security
{{real
inroads into the insurgency through Iraqi-led security and
political
measures,
including a political process (aimed at drawing in
former
regime elements
and militants such as Muqtada al-Sadr) and improved
co‑operation
with Iraq’s neighbours over border security; and
{{significantly
increased Iraqi security capacity with Iraqi forces in
local
control
around much of the country and a reduced reliance on
international
troops,
paving the way for foreign troop reductions in 2005.
•
Reconstruction
and economic development
{{a
functioning Iraqi Administration in Baghdad and at governorate
level
capable of
delivering basic services;
10
Letter
Quarrey to Owen, 12 July 2004, ‘Prime Minister’s VTC with Bush, 12
July: Middle East issues’.
11 BBC
News, 12 July
2004, Annan names
new UN envoy to Iraq.
12
UN Press
Release, 14 July 2004, ‘Ashraf Jehangir Qazi of Pakistan Appointed
Special Representative
for
Iraq’.
13
Paper FCO,
13 July 2004, ‘Iraq: The Next Six Months’.
400