Briefing from the Prime Minister’s Official Spokesman on: Iraq and Europe.
Iraq
Asked the Prime Minister’s reaction to the pictures of the Iraqi POWs which had been widely publicised today, the Prime Minister’s Official Spokesman (PMOS) said that the US army spokesman, Brigadier General Mark Kimmitt, had said this morning that he was appalled and that those responsible had let their fellow soldiers down. Those were views with which the UK Government would associate itself. At the same time, we would also associate ourselves with the view that this was not representative of the 150,000 soldiers who were in Iraq. People should not judge the Coalition as a whole on the actions of a few. However, what had happened was regrettable, to say the least. Asked if the Prime Minister had spoken to President Bush about the pictures, the PMOS said that these were matters which the US Administration and the US military were dealing with.
Put to him that the pictures would have a ‘terrible effect’ on Iraqi public opinion, the PMOS said that that would depend on how the issue was portrayed. We fully accepted that these things should not happen and it was important to underline that actions of this kind were in no way condoned by the Coalition. Questioned further, the PMOS observed that the images publicised today were a clear contrast to what had gone on under Saddam’s regime, which had carried out actions like this as a matter of policy. The actions publicised today had been carried out in direct contravention of all policy under which the Coalition operated. Asked if he would agree that the pictures were a ‘propaganda gift’, the PMOS said he did not think anyone underestimated how wrong these actions were. However, it was important for people to recognise that they had been condemned by the US military, who had now taken the appropriate measures. Of course that did not excuse what had happened. However, it did set the matter in perspective.
Asked if Downing Street was confident that no British soldiers had been involved in anything similar, the PMOS said that any allegations which were made would be investigated by the Special Investigations Branch (SIB), as every soldier who wore the British uniform knew. Asked if there were any current investigations into abuses by British troops, the PMOS said that as he understood it, there were eight cases relating to allegations of mistreatment which were currently being reviewed by the SIB. He referred journalists to the MoD for further detail. Asked if the investigations into the allegations had been made public, the PMOS said yes.
Asked for an assessment as to how the search for WMD in Iraq was progressing one year on, the PMOS said that it was being conducted by the Iraq Survey Group, which had already found multiple breaches of UN Resolution 1441, as detailed in their reports. Other questions had yet to be addressed. We were perfectly content to allow the Iraq Survey Group to continue its work. Asked if Downing Street believed that WMD would be found, the PMOS said that the Prime Minister’s view on this matter, as stated on many many occasions in the past, had not changed. The Iraq Survey Group should be left to carry out its work. He took the opportunity to point out that, one year on, progress was being made in what were clearly difficult circumstances in Iraq. This had been demonstrated clearly by the visit to the UK this week of a delegation of Iraqi Ministers, representing the Iraqi people, to reinforce the reconstruction effort. That progress should not be underestimated.
Europe
Asked if the Prime Minister agreed with Neil Kinnock’s call for a second referendum should there be a no vote, the PMOS said that the position on this issue had not changed. A no vote would mean entering into unknown territory, the only guarantee being that the Government would be facing a serious situation. As the Prime Minister had underlined from the outset, the Government would go into the referendum intending to win it.
Asked for a reaction to President Chirac’s proposal for a two year period for the UK to sort itself out were there to be a no vote, the PMOS said he did not think it would be helpful to engage in a speculative discussion about this issue. People should wait and see what happened. The Government wanted to remain at the heart of Europe and continue influencing Europe’s future, especially at a time when we were welcoming the entry of the new accession states who, as we had pointed out, held very similar views to our own. We believed that was possible. He emphasised that the Government would only agree to the Treaty this summer if it believed it was in the interests of this country. Only then would we go into a referendum arguing our case.
Asked to comment on the suggestion that the measures the Government was taking, including new restrictions on benefits for immigrants from Eastern Europe, was a panic measure the day before enlargement was due to take effect, the PMOS said that David Blunkett had first spoken about these matters in February, which would indicate that the Government was working in a pragmatic and systematic way, rather than panicking.
Asked about the difference in view between the Prime Minister and President Chirac about the future EU membership of Turkey, the PMOS said that it was in the interests of the EU as a whole, as well as the UK, that Turkey, as a major Islamic country, was brought into the fold if it met the required standards.
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