The Report of the Iraq Inquiry

479. In early September, Prime Minister Maliki’s Chief of Staff informed Mr Wilks that

diplomatic status for the five-man naval team had been approved.197

480. On 15 October, Mr Prentice reported to the FCO in London that the UK-Iraq

“training and maritime support agreement” had completed its third and final reading

in the Council of Representatives.198 It passed with 99 votes in favour and 40 against

or abstaining.

481. Mr Prentice wrote:

“All the elements of our broad-based relationship are now in place. Symbolically, the

ratification by the Iraqi parliament of this agreement confirms the will of a majority of

Iraqi political groups to continue a special relationship with the UK, including in the

security field.”

482. He concluded:

“We are well-placed to be a prime partner for Iraq, as overall security improvements

and Iraq’s slowly growing political and economic capacity enable it for the first time

in the last six years to begin to fulfil its vast potential.”

483. The UK maintained a small national presence in Iraq until 22 May 2011, when the

final 81 members of a Royal Navy training team left the country.199 Op TELIC formally

ended with their departure.

484. A small number of UK personnel remained in Iraq working as part of the NATO

training mission.

485. The table below records changes in the number of UK troops in Iraq between the

start of Op TELIC I in 2003 and the withdrawal of the last UK Service Personnel from

Iraq in 2011.

197 Paper [unattributed], [undated], ‘Op Telic PJHQ Chronology 2009’.

198 eGram 35899/09 Baghdad to FCO London, 15 October 2009, ‘UK/Iraq: Training and Maritime Support

Agreement Ratified by the CoR, 13 October’.

199 BBC News, 22 May 2011, UK’s Operation Telic mission in Iraq ends.

464