The Report
of the Iraq Inquiry
At the
meeting, it was agreed that Mr Cahn and Mr Wareing should
discuss the
issue further.
784.
The following
week, Mr Frank Baker, Head of the FCO’s Iraq Group, wrote
to
Mr McInnes:
“The [11
September ISG] meeting concluded that we needed an official in
Baghdad
to identify
investment opportunities in Basra, as well as help UK businesses
work
with the
Government of Iraq, otherwise we risk falling behind our
international
785.
Mr Baker
stated that, given the “exceptional circumstances” and the high
priority
that the UK
Government attached to having a trade representative in Baghdad,
that post
could be
funded from the SAF until the end of the UK financial year (31
March 2009).
786.
Mr Cahn
met Mr Wareing on 1 October.474
Mr Wareing
said that the UK needed to
exploit its
excellent high-level relationships in Iraq. The UK had invested
heavily in Iraq,
and it
would be a major disappointment if other countries went on to enjoy
the fruits of
stabilisation
and economic development. UKTI needed to be “at the table”.
Mr Cahn
proposed
that UKTI should recruit an international business specialist for a
period of
six months,
to scope the market and produce recommendations for UKTI on the
way
forward.
787.
Mr Alexander
wrote to Mr Brown on 20 November to provide an update
on
progress in
Basra.475
He reported
that DFID had already facilitated 18 investor visits
by
14
companies, with proposals worth over US$9bn submitted to the Iraqi
Government.
788.
Mr Brown
met Prime Minister Maliki in Iraq on 17 December.476
Prime
Minister
Maliki
called for a wider long-term relationship, including investment and
economic
co-operation
and stronger cultural and educational links.
789.
Mr Brown’s
Assistant Private Secretary wrote to the Principal Private
Secretary
to Lord
Mandelson, the Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform
Secretary,
the
following day to advise that Mr Brown believed there were
opportunities in Iraq
and
interest from British companies that were not being
exploited.477
Mr Brown
was
convinced
that there was an urgent need for a significant UKTI presence in
both
Baghdad and
Basra, both to consolidate security gains and to ensure that UK
investors
had every
chance to benefit from commercial opportunities in Iraq.
Mr Brown asked
UKTI to
start planning immediately for a long-term presence in Iraq,
consulting
Mr Wareing
and DFID.
473
Letter
Baker to McInnes, 19 September 2008, ‘Iraq: UKTI
position’.
474
Minute, 2
October 2008, ‘Meeting with Michael Wareing, co-Chair of the Basra
Development
Commission:
Wednesday 1 October 2008’.
475
Letter
Alexander to Brown, 20 November 2008, [untitled].
476
Letter
Catsaras to Gould, 18 December 2008, ‘Prime Minister’s Meeting with
Iraqi Prime Minister,
17
December’.
477
Letter
APS/Prime Minister to Abel, 18 December 2008, ‘UKTI Presence in
Iraq’.
490