Briefing from the Prime Minister’s Official Spokesman on: Iraq, Europe and the Prime Minister.
Iraq
The Prime Minister’s Official Spokesman (PMOS) briefed journalists on the Prime Minister’s meeting this afternoon with five Iraqi Ministers. The message they had brought was very much one of support for what the UK was doing, both in terms of the military support we were giving, but also in helping them to drive forward the improvements on the economy, the civic infrastructure, such as the establishment of the judicial system, as well as trying to achieve security. They were in absolutely no doubt that the violence we had seen was being deliberately targeted at trying to stop the establishment of a democracy in Iraq. Their message to us was that we should do everything possible to help them prevent that happening.
Asked if the Iraqi Ministers had asked the UK to provide more troops, the PMOS said that as the Prime Minister had made clear yesterday and today, it was a matter that was kept under constant review in discussions both with the IGC and with our allies. Those discussions were continuing. Pressed as to whether the IGC wanted more or fewer troops in Iraq, the PMOS said that the discussions taking place were focussing on the nature of how troops were used. Those discussions were continuing.
Asked if the Iraqi Ministers were as confident as London and Washington that the short term and long term timetables could hold, the PMOS said yes. As Lakhdar Brahimi had told the UN yesterday, no one was in any doubt that there were difficult decisions to be taken. Equally, no one was complacent about the situation on the ground. However, to quote Mr Brahimi himself, everyone believed it was "doable".
Asked if the Prime Minister believed that he wasn’t receiving the full support of the Leader of the Opposition for British troops in Iraq, the PMOS said that as a Civil Servant, he was unable to comment on party political matters. That said, the Prime Minister recognised that people were entitled to hold whatever view of the war they wished and to ask questions about the conduct of operations in Iraq. However, when British and Coalition troops were facing real difficulties, as we freely acknowledged they were, he believed that the country should unite in sending them a message of support. Asked what the message would contain, the PMOS said that it would entail an understanding of the difficulties which the troops were facing, as well as a recognition of what it was the troops were in Iraq to achieve, namely a democracy in which the Iraqi people themselves would make the decisions. That was a vision which the Iraqi Ministers supported. Asked if he was criticising the Leader of the Opposition for not supporting our troops, the PMOS said no. As he had stated at the outset, he was a Civil Servant and was therefore unable to comment on party political matters. He had simply been stating the Prime Minister’s view of the approach that should be taken. While he recognised that there were differences of view over the war and that it was perfectly legitimate to ask questions about it, he nevertheless believed that at a time like this it was important for the country to show its support for the troops on the ground and the difficult job they were doing. Put to him that there was a difference between supporting what the troops were doing and questioning the political strategy behind it, the PMOS said that, on a general point, there was a context within which questioning could, and should, take place. Of course it was perfectly legitimate to ask whether political military strategies were running in parallel. However, within that, it was also necessary to show support for the difficulties which the troops were facing and the job they were trying to do.
Asked about the surprising ‘robustness’ with which the Prime Minister had defended US military tactics in and around Fallujah which seemed ‘over and above the call of duty’, the PMOS said that he would disagree with the premise of the question. As he had told journalists at this morning’s press briefing, it was important to understand the reality of what had been happening in the last twenty-four hours. US troops had been fired upon by insurgents and they were therefore perfectly within their rights to return fire in self-defence. Of course we wanted see a political solution to the situation in Fallujah. However, that would only be possible if the other side was prepared to enter into a genuine two-way dialogue which would lead to an end to the violence. Put to him that following the gruesome deaths of four British military policemen several months ago in the south of the country, the UK had refrained from taking military action, which had been widely acknowledged as the ’smart’ thing to do, the PMOS said that this case and the current situation in Fallujah were different. It was not simply a case of four innocent US civilians having been killed, but innocent Iraqis being murdered as well. In addition, coming under attack from a group of heavily armed insurgents, who had not been firing peashooters yesterday but rocket-propelled grenades, meant that establishing a proper dialogue might not be possible.
Europe
Asked about the FCO event on EU enlargement this evening which the Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary would be attending, the PMOS said the Prime Minister believed that, inevitably perhaps, there had been a degree of focus on the issue of migration in recent times. As he had said yesterday, that was perfectly understandable. However, as he would tell those attending the event this evening, EU enlargement should not be seen as a single-issue topic. This was a genuinely significant moment in the history of Europe, particularly when former Communist countries were joining the EU with many of the values and attitudes which we shared. The historic nature of this moment should not be lost. The opportunities it provided to the UK, as well as the accession countries and the EU itself, should not be under-estimated. Asked for a cast list of those attending the event, the PMOS said it would include about seventy young professionals from the eight central European countries, people from British accession country communities, including war veterans, business people, sports people, artists and entertainers who came from or had family roots in the accession countries, politicians from across the political spectrum, including former Europe and Foreign Ministers, relevant select committees etc. He referred journalists to the FCO for the full guest list.
Prime Minister
Asked if the Prime Minister would be marking his seven years in office this weekend, the PMOS said not as far as he was aware. He would remain focussed on his job, keep making the difficult decisions that were necessary and continue to drive forward the Government’s agenda.
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