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9.4  |  June 2005 to May 2006
492.  Sir Nigel Sheinwald sent the UK’s post-election work plan to Mr Hadley on
21 December.233 Sir Nigel observed that “early action will be needed with Shia and
Kurdish politicians to promote the broad-based and inclusive government the Prime
Minister and President want”.
493.  On 21 December, ACM Torpy warned Lt Gen Fry that “we need to press ahead
rapidly, to keep the initiative” on PRTs.234
494.  ACM Torpy wrote that MOD funding might be needed if “as first indications
suggest, neither FCO nor DFID can find any further financial resources”. He observed
that “we will also need to push the other Departments to deploy the staff necessary to
get the PRTs off the ground quickly”.
495.  Mr Straw spoke by telephone to President Talabani on 21 December.
He emphasised:
“… the process of de-Ba’athification should not be allowed to derail the formation of
a new Government. It was important that Sunni Arabs did not feel excluded, with the
risk that the insurgency would continue and escalate to civil war.”235
496.  Mr Blair visited Basra on 22 December to meet British troops and civilians based
there.236 He also had a discussion about the political process following the election and
about security issues with senior UK and US diplomats and military officers including
Gen Walker and Gen Casey.
497.  Mr Blair’s Private Secretary reported that:
“The Prime Minister said we needed to keep the political and military strategies in
synch. What were the prospects for eg further detainee releases and negotiated
local cease-fires? Casey said the US were working on further, large-scale
releases. But these had to be part of a wider reconciliation process and secure
some movement from the other side. We would also have to look carefully at the
reintegration process, as detainees were often radicalised by their experience
of detention.”
498.  Mr Blair told the group of diplomats and military officers that the US and UK
would need to work quickly with the new government “on a forward perspective”,
covering security and Iraqiisation and MNF drawdown as well as the government’s
broad programme which “could serve as a rallying point for international support to
the new government”.
233  Letter Sheinwald to Hadley, 21 December 2005, ‘Iraq’.
234  Minute CJO to DCDS(C), 21 December 2005, ‘Key Operational Issues for Early 2006’.
235  Email Wilson to Asquith, 22 December 2005, ‘Foreign Secretary’s Call to Talabani: 21 Dec’.
236  Letter Quarrey to Hayes, 22 December 2005, ‘Iraq: Prime Minister’s Visit to Basra’.
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