Letter cannon to mcdonald iraq prime ministers meeting

IRAQ: PRIME MINISTER'S MEETING, 6 JUNE The Prime Minister chaired a meeting on Iraq on 6 June. Also present were the Foreign Secretary, Defence Secretary, Development Secretary, Sir Michael Jay, CDS and Cabinet Office and No 10 officials. Discussion focussed on problem areas in the current administration in Iraq: • We have limited information on the situation in Baghdad and the north. • An over-arching problem of US inter-ageney wrangles, contributing to a dysfunctional Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA). • Security in Baghdad: difficulties compounded by: Security profile: US generals refusing to order troops to deploy on foot for fear of casualties. Unwillingness to operate at night. Predictable patterns of deployment at fixed posts. Inadequate understanding of security picture of city. • De-Ba'athification purge cutting across deployment of ex-regime police/ military. • Failure to coordinate international police assistance. • Security in Basra: problems caused by: • Over-zealous de-Ba'athification. • Failure of CPA to unlock funding for activities in south. • Chaotie administration of CPA: need for communications equipment, improved living/working conditions. • Lack of urgeney by outside contractors Need to unblock Siemens power generation contract. DECLASSIFED • The Prime Minister will phone President Bush later on 6 June to outline the key problem areas and enlist his support. He will tell Bush that we need to put the decision-making process on a different footing, so that problems are referred rapidly to the highest level and obstacles short-cut. Bush must realise that the current situation in Iraq is not going well. Bremer must be empowered to act with full authority. • The Prime Minister will write to Bush after the call to reinforce our concerns. • The Prime Minister will write to Bremer (copied to Bush) on 9 June to list specific projects in the Basra area that require immediate CPA funding. • The Development Secretary will visit the UK sector to enhance DfID operations. • The Prime Minister hopes that the Trade and Industry Secretary will be able to visit Iraq to promote UK business involvement. I am copying his to Desmond Bowen, Jim Drummond and John Scarlett (Cabinet Office), Peter Watkins (MoD) Anna Bewes (DfID), Erica Zimmer (DTI) and Mark Bowman (HMT). Yours ever Adole Cana NICHOLAS CANNON Simon McDonaid FCO DECLASSIFIED