Briefing from the Prime Minister’s Official Spokesman on: Germany, Africa, Euro, Iraq and Congo.
Germany
The Prime Minister’s Official Spokesman (PMOS) advised journalists that the Prime Minister would be meeting Chancellor Schroeder in Berlin tomorrow afternoon in continuation of their regular series of meetings. Asked what they would discuss, the PMOS said that Europe, Iraq and the Middle East peace process would obviously form part of the agenda. Asked if there was anything in particular which the Prime Minister wanted to ‘get across’ to the Germans, the PMOS said no. The meeting was the latest in a series the Prime Minister and Chancellor Schroeder had had in recent times. The purpose was to maintain regular contact.
Africa
The PMOS informed journalists that the Prime Minister, Baroness Amos and Bill Rammell would be hosting a working breakfast in Downing Street tomorrow for a range of experts on Africa. Ahead of the G8 Summit in Evian, it would be an opportunity to take stock of progress on the action plan for Africa which had been agreed at last year’s G8 meeting in response to NEPAD. Those attending would range across NGOs, business and academic bodies and would also include Sir Bob Geldof and Bono.
Euro
Asked if there was any significance in the fact that the Prime Minister had not taken the opportunity at PMQs today to deny the suggestion that he had been ‘out-manoeuvred’ by the Chancellor, the PMOS said that the Prime Minister’s primary desire was to focus on the substance of the trilateral discussions which were taking place in Downing Street this week. That was what was important, not the commentary of others who were not involved in the process. Pressed as to why the Prime Minister hadn’t taken the opportunity to knock the story on the head, the PMOS said that if he started giving a running commentary on a running commentary, it would inevitably keep the story going. As he had underlined at this morning’s briefing, Mr Mandelson was a backbencher - no more, no less. What he or anyone else said was happening was not relevant because they were not involved in the process. The important thing was for the discussions to be allowed to continue so that an announcement could be made on 9 June. Asked if Mr Mandelson was involved in any way in the Euro decision, the PMOS said that the decision would be made collectively by the Cabinet following talks between the Prime Minister, Chancellor and individual Cabinet Ministers. Mr Mandelson was a backbencher.
Asked when the Treasury’s assessment would be circulated to the Cabinet, the PMOS said that it would be done at some stage next week. Put to him that we had said last Thursday it would happen on 26 May, the PMOS repeated that it would be done at some stage next week. Asked the reason for the slippage, the PMOS repeated that the assessment would be circulated to the Cabinet at some stage next week.
Iraq
Asked if the Prime Minister had been indicating in PMQs today that a further dossier on Iraq would be published shortly, the PMOS said the Prime Minister had been making the point that although Saddam had broken up his WMD ‘jigsaw’ and had hidden the pieces all around Iraq - a country which was over the size of France, we were finding the pieces of the jigsaw bit by bit and at some stage we would be in a position to reveal what we had found. How long that might take and when that might be were obviously matters that we would need to consider carefully. In the meantime, we remained confident that we would find the evidence to prove that Saddam was in possession of WMD and that he had been planning to make them operational.
Congo
Asked again about the UN’s request for Britain to contribute troops for a peacekeeping force in Congo, the PMOS said that we were still waiting for the UN to spell out the extent of the operation and the length of time any troops might have to remain there. Asked if there might be a linkage between a Resolution on a Congo force and any Resolution on post-war Iraq, the PMOS said he did not see any sign of linkage and he thought the two would be regarded as separate issues.
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