Briefing from the Prime Minister’s Official Spokesman on: President Wade of Senegal, Right to Buy, Lord Robertson, Zimbabwe, Iraq, University Funding and Northern Ireland.
President Wade of Senegal
The Prime Minister’s Official Spokesman (PMOS) advised journalists that the Prime Minister would be meeting President Wade of Senegal this afternoon. They had met when the Prime Minister had visited Africa last February. President Wade was an important figure in the NEPAD project.
Right to Buy
The PMOS drew journalists’ attention to a Written Ministerial Statement by the Deputy Prime Minister on Right to Buy. He underlined that it was not about scrapping the scheme. The changes being announced today were aimed at meeting local housing market pressures and reducing homelessness and exploitation of the system. Forty-two local authorities in London and the South East were being invited into the scheme, where the maximum discount available to council tenants was being reduced to £16,000. This was all about trying to increase affordable housing and prevent market distortions.
Lord Robertson
The PMOS informed journalists that Lord Robertson had announced this morning that he would be standing down as Secretary General of NATO at the end of 2003. The Prime Minister had said, "Lord Robertson has made a huge contribution during his period in office. Under his leadership, NATO has maintained its traditional role as the foundation of transatlantic security and the main forum for security consultation between allies. Lord Robertson made a particular personal contribution to NATO’s successful efforts to keep the peace in Macedonia. At the same time, the Alliance has faced the challenge of new threats including the first ever invocation of Article 5 after September 11, adapted its forces and HQ structures accordingly, agreed a substantial enlargement, ending the post-war division of Europe and transformed its relationship with Russia. All these achievements have reflected the considerable efforts of Lord Robertson, culminating in the very successful Prague Summit in November. The Alliance now faces the responsibility of implementing the commitments made in Prague, including the development of enhanced military capabilities - a constant theme of his vision for a revitalised NATO. I look forward to taking this forward with Lord Robertson, who has agreed to stay until the end of 2003. As a former Cabinet colleague, I know that NATO will be able to rely, as always, on his leadership, determination, energy and sense of humour".
Asked why Lord Robertson had decided to leave, the PMOS said that that was a question for Lord Robertson. He had been Secretary General of NATO for some years and had decided to step down at the end of the year.
Zimbabwe
Asked for Downing Street’s reaction to reports that France had invited Robert Mugabe to a Franco/African summit in Paris next month and whether we would agree to the plan or veto it, the PMOS said that he had only just been made aware of the reports and could only respond in general terms at this stage. If it was the intention of the French Government to invite Mr Mugabe to such a summit, then we would obviously expect them to share the full details with us. Questioned about the EU travel ban on Mr Mugabe, the PMOS said that the ban still stood. As he understood it, the General Affairs and External Relations Council was expected to discuss the issue next Monday. He said he had no more to say at this juncture.
Iraq
Asked for a response to Germany’s announcement today that it would not back a second UN Resolution on military action in Iraq, the PMOS said that Germany’s declaration should not come as a surprise to anyone given it was in line with what Chancellor Schroeder had said yesterday. A UN process was ongoing. As part of that, Hans Blix and Mohammed ElBaradei would be reporting back to the Security Council on 27 January. People should be patient. The 27th was not a deadline, but it was clearly important to hear what Dr Blix and Dr ElBaradei had to say. Put to him that President Bush had said that he had run out of patience, the PMOS said that we shared the US Administration’s frustration that the Iraqi regime had not co-operated actively, as required under Paragraph 4 of Resolution 1441. Most people would agree that Saddam’s declaration in December was incomplete. As the inspectors themselves had said, co-operation on process was not a substitute for co-operation on substance. It was therefore not unreasonable for the US Government to express their frustration. Asked if it was up to the weapons inspectors to decide whether there had been a material breach, the PMOS said that the position remained as set out under the terms of Resolution 1441. It was for the inspectors to do their job in Iraq and then report back to the Security Council. It was then for the Security Council to discuss the issue and make judgements. Questioned as to whether a lack of co-operation would be sufficient to declare a material breach, the PMOS said that as the Prime Minister had pointed out yesterday, the difference between 1441 and previous Resolutions was that there was a requirement on the Iraqi regime, not only to allow the inspectors into the country and to open up sites, but to co-operate actively by answering the questions being put to them. UNSCOM, the predecessor regime to UNMOVIC, had reported back to the UN in 1999 after leaving Iraq and had highlighted serious concerns about materials they had been unable to verify. It was therefore not unreasonable for the international community and the inspectors to ask the Iraqis either to prove they had disarmed or to co-operate actively with UNMOVIC in a process of disarmament. Either way, Saddam would be disarmed. How that was done remained a choice for him to make.
Asked if the Prime Minister had any plans to consult with other members of the P5 before 27 January, the PMOS said he was not aware of plans to do so at the moment. That said, there was a whole welter of diplomatic activity going on through the permanent representatives at the UN and elsewhere, as you would expect. Questioned as to whether the Prime Minister was intending to speak to Chancellor Schroeder within the next few days, the PMOS said not as far as he was aware. He reminded journalists that the Prime Minister had met Chancellor Schroeder in Germany two weekends ago. Asked for a reaction to reports quoting a Russian military source that war in Iraq was expected in February, the PMOS said that he had seen the report but it was important to recognise that no decision regarding military action had been taken.
University Funding
Asked whether the Prime Minister continued to believe that university access should be based on meritocratic principles, the PMOS said yes, absolutely. Access was at the heart of the policy being announced today which would ensure that people with ability, whatever their background, could go to university and that universities themselves reached out further. Questioned further, the PMOS advised journalists to wait for the Education Secretary’s Statement on this issue later today.
Northern Ireland
Asked if he would agree with Martin McGuiness’s characterisation of the Prime Minister’s meeting tomorrow with the Taoiseach as the most important in a hundred years, the PMOS said that these were clearly important times for the Northern Ireland peace process. In his speech in Belfast last October, the Prime Minister had set out the challenges facing all sides. Since the New Year, he had met with the key players again and welcomed their positive engagement. His meting tomorrow with the Taoiseach was an important occasion as it would provide them both with the opportunity to discuss how to push forward in the weeks to come.
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