Briefing from the Prime Minister’s Official Spokesman on: Phonecalls, Europe, Iraq, Missile Defence, Train Protection System and Lords Reform.
Phonecalls
The Prime Minister’s Official Spokesman (PMOS) advised journalists that the Prime Minister had spoken by phone to Prime Minister Koizumi of Japan after PMQs today to update him on his recent discussions in Washington and Paris.
Europe
The PMOS distributed copies of a joint letter signed by the Prime Minister, President Chirac and Chancellor Schroeder which had been sent today to the Greek Prime Minister, Costas Simitis, since Greece was currently holding the EU Presidency. This was the first time the leaders of the three largest EU economies had come together to set out their agreed priorities for economic reform. The key points were: the need to support European business, reduce the regulatory burden, liberalise markets, stimulate research, ensure labour markets worked better and provide public services without distorting the market for other tradable services. He underlined - before he was asked - that the idea for this letter preceded anything which had been produced last week and had been suggested some weeks ago. Progress had been made on economic reform in Europe, but it was important for the momentum to be maintained. This letter was a way of ensuring that, given other global issues facing us at the moment, the focus was maintained on this important area and the foot was pressed down firmly on the accelerator pedal.
Iraq
The PMOS informed journalists that the Prime Minister, together with the Foreign Secretary, would meet Hans Blix and Mohammed ElBaradei in Downing Street after Cabinet tomorrow morning. Both were travelling direct from New York. Dr Blix was due to go on to Vienna and then Baghdad. Dr ElBaradei would head for Cyprus and then Baghdad. Tomorrow’s meeting was an important opportunity for them to update the Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary on the inspections regime.
Asked when the Prime Minister had last met Dr Blix, the PMOS said that they had last met at Chequers on Friday 24 January. Asked why they were meeting, the PMOS said that the weapons inspectors were mandated by the UN Security Council to carry out their work in Iraq. The UK was a member of the P5. It was an opportunity for the inspectors to update the Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary on the progress they had made so far.
Asked if the Prime Minister had been hinting at anything during PMQs today when he had talked of ’someone’ having an unreasonable veto in the Security Council and whether we thought the outcome would be 4-1 rather than 3-2, the PMOS cautioned journalists against over-interpreting what had been said. He pointed out that we would be criticised were the Prime Minister not to make clear the circumstances in which we might proceed with a second UN Resolution. That said, it was important for people to resist the urge to jump ahead and predict what might happen. Colin Powell was giving his presentation to the Security Council today. Dr Blix and Dr ElBaradei were due to give theirs on 14 February. People should be patient. The Prime Minister had said from the outset that he had confidence in Dr Blix, UNMOVIC and the IAEA teams to do the job they had been mandated to do in Iraq. He had also maintained his belief in the integrity of the process upon which we had embarked through the UN. Asked if the Prime Minister believed that a second Resolution would be supported 15-0 in the Security Council, the PMOS reminded journalists that the inspectors had indicated in their first report that we weren’t seeing the necessary co-operation from Saddam. Given co-operation was at the heart of Resolution 1441, it was clear that action would be taken if Saddam continued to refuse to comply. The Prime Minister’s view was that the logic of that circumstance was that a second Resolution would be attained. However, we were not there yet. In answer to further questions, the PMOS said that the Prime Minister remained as confident as he had been at the weekend that he would get one in the circumstances he had outlined.
Asked what we were expecting Colin Powell to prove in his presentation to the Security Council today, the PMOS said that UNMOVIC had already presented a report which had made it crystal clear that Iraq was not giving the necessary co-operation required of them under the terms of 1441. Colin Powell’s report today was about presenting further evidence of that. Dr Blix and Dr ElBaradei were due to present a second report on 14 February. Given journalists only had a few minutes to go until Colin Powell began his presentation they could see for themselves what he hoped to prove.
Asked why Jack Straw would be responding to Colin Powell’s presentation rather than the Prime Minister, the PMOS pointed out that Mr Straw was attending the Security Council meeting today in his capacity as Foreign Minister, so it would make sense for him to respond as a senior member of the Government. In response to further questions, the PMOS said that it underlined the authority of the Foreign Secretary and the high esteem in which he was held by the Prime Minister.
Questioned again about links between Iraq and Al Qaida, the PMOS said that the Prime Minister had been making the point at PMQs today that intelligence was not a static science. Many different pieces of information came in on a regular basis. People were employed to try to piece them together, assess them and make sense of things. As the Prime Minister had told the House today, we had been very measured in the way we had responded to questions about linkages. We were dealing with Saddam Hussein at this present time because of the threat posed by his WMD capability and his continual failure to face up to his international obligations. September 11, however, had changed the global landscape and we had to be live to the possibility of the twin threats from WMD and international terrorism coming together with devastating consequences. We had never claimed that Iraq’s links with Al Qaida were any more or less than we believed them to be. The Prime Minister had been making the point that if we received more intelligence then things could change.
Missile Defence
Questioned about today’s Written Ministerial Statement on Missile Defence, the PMOS said that the Defence Secretary had announced that he had written to Donald Rumsfeld today to agree to his request, made on 17 December 2002, to upgrade Fylingdales for missile defence purposes. This followed the Defence Select Committee’s report last week which had agreed that we should accede to the upgrade.
Train Protection System
Asked about today’s Written Ministerial Statement on Train Protection Systems, the PMOS said that the Transport Secretary had announced that the Government was accepting the advice from the Health and Safety Commission in respect of the timetable for implementation of the European and Rail Traffic Management System. This was a system that would operate alongside the present Train Protection Warning System which would be fitted across the whole of the rail network by the end of 2003, and which was already delivering safety benefits. As he understood it, we were accepting their advice that the initial timetable set out in the Uff/Cullen Report was not viable. Put to him that it was a "new system delayed" story, the PMOS said that if it was being written as such, no doubt the second sentence of the story would say "on the expert advice of the august Health and Safety Commission".
Lords Reform
Questioned as to whether the Prime Minister had told the Parliamentary Committee today that we were now delaying Lords reform, the PMOS said that he hadn’t had a readout from the meeting, but he thought it unlikely. The matter had been referred back to Joint Committee to assess the outcome of yesterday’s votes and reach a judgement on the way forward. No one was prescribing a timescale for that process. It was entirely a matter for the Committee. In the meantime, we remained committed to reform of the Lords. However, it would seem that it was easier to express a desire to reform than it was to achieve a consensus on how to do it, as had been demonstrated by the differences of view expressed yesterday.
delicious
digg
facebook
