The Report
of the Iraq Inquiry
•
protection
for the Iraqi Council of Representatives to ensure the
uninterrupted
functioning
of the Government of Iraq.21
19.
On 15 June,
the UN Security Council reviewed the mandate of the MNF in Iraq
and
the
arrangements for the Development Fund for Iraq, as required by
resolution 1546
20.
Mr Hoshyar
Zebari, the Iraqi Foreign Minister, told the Security Council that
“contrary
to media
portrayal, a civil war was not taking place in Iraq” and that the
continued
presence of
the MNF was “critical to attaining the goal of self‑sufficiency in
defending
Iraq and
securing peace”.23
21.
Ms Angela
Kane, Assistant UN Secretary‑General for Political Affairs,
said:
“While it
may be understandable that, due to their transitory character,
previous
Governments
were unable to take some of the hard decisions required to
address
the urgent
needs of the Iraqi people, the establishment of a
constitutionally‑elected
Government
for a full four‑year term offers new hope.”
22.
The UK
Permanent Mission to the UN in New York reported that:
“The
meeting achieved our key aim – a straightforward review with the
Council
agreeing on
the need for the MNF presence to continue. At the same time,
we
may also
have made some progress achieving a more positive UN line on
the
international
compact …”24
23.
Cabinet Office
officials provided a paper on delivering a step‑change in Basra
for
the meeting
of DOP(I) on 15 June.25
The paper
stated that:
•
An
announcement on transition to Iraqi control in Muthanna and
Maysan
provinces
was expected shortly.
•
Progress in
developing the ISF was “growing but
variable”, with the
police
lagging
significantly behind the army, including in MND(SE) where
the
militia
links of the police were a “significant
cause for concern”. The
MNF
plan, which
the MOD was reported as judging to be “robust”,
anticipated
MNF
retaining substantial forces in Iraq until 2007 to support the ISF
(see
Section 12.1).
21
Paper
Cabinet Office, 13 June 2006, ‘Follow‑up to the Prime Minister’s
visit, including delivering a
step‑change
in Basra’.
22
eGram
24620/06 UKMis New York to FCO London, 16 June 2006, ‘Iraq: Review
of the Multinational
Force/DFI/UNAMI
Mandates’.
23
UN Security
Council, ‘5463rd
meeting, 15
June 2006’ (SC/8751).
24
eGram
24620/06 UKMIS New York to FCO London, 16 June 2006, ‘Iraq: Review
of the Multinational
Force/DFI/UNAMI’.
25
Paper
Cabinet Office, 13 June 2006, ‘Follow‑up to the Prime Minister’s
Visit, Including Delivering a
Step‑Change
in Basra’.
6