The Report
of the Iraq Inquiry
252.
On 28 August,
MOD officials sought approval from Mr Adam Ingram, the
MOD’s
Duty
Minister that day, for Maj Gen Binns “to conclude the next stage of
discussions
253.
The submission
proposed that, in exchange for a “further one month cease-fire
on
UK forces”,
MND(SE) would continue their limitation on strike operations and,
provided
all the
conditions were met, would release a further 11 internees on 13
September.
254.
The proposal
had been approved by Gen Petraeus, Gen Mohan and Dr
Rubaie.
The advice
explained:
“It is
intended that the GOC will develop a longer term plan for taking
forward these
discussions
post-September. Given the uncertainty about how long UK forces
will
remain in
the COB, we are naturally keen to ensure that we do not give up
our
negotiating
leverage before we have an enduring agreement in place
…
“This
remains a presentationally risky line of activity. The risks that
the negotiations
will get
into the public domain are increasing. This is for a number of
reasons:
•
It is
becoming increasingly obvious that there has been a step change in
the
security
environment at the COB.
•
We publish
details of the number of internees being held, and it will
become
apparent
that this number is falling;
•
Rumours
that a cease-fire deal has been reached are apparently
circulating
on the
streets of Basra and these are being picked up by Arabic
media
outlets,
some of whom have posed questions to the MND(SE) press
office …
“All
internees released in future will be given a clear instruction by
[JAM1] that
they are
not to publicise the terms of their release. For the moment a
fairly neutral
defensive
line is holding in the face of inquiries from local media
outlets.”
255.
Mr Ingram’s
Military Adviser responded on 28 August that Mr Ingram
agreed
Maj Gen
Binns should now conclude negotiations with JAM1 along the lines
proposed,
“noting
that Ministers will be informed in advance of the precise timing of
the release of
the
internees and if there are any significant changes to the
plan”.115
256.
In his weekly
report on 28 August, Maj Gen Rollo reported Prime Minister
Maliki’s
“evident
concern” about security in Basra, which was helping
General Mohan to “make
progress”
with his proposals to reinforce Basra.116
114
Minute
Freer to APS/Minister (AF), 28 August 2007, ‘Negotiations with JAM:
Next Steps’.
115
Minute
Cameron to Deputy Command Secretary (Ops) PJHQ, 28 August 2007,
‘Negotiations with JAM:
Next
Steps’.
116
Minute
Rollo to CDS, 28 August 2007, ‘SBMR-I’s Weekly Report (267) 28 Aug
07’.
230