Return to an Address of the Honourable the House of Commons dated 6 July 2016 for The Report of the Iraq Inquiry Report of a Committee of Privy Counsellors Volume V Ordered by the House of Commons to be printed on 6 July 2016 HC 265-V 46561_17b Viking_Volume V Title Page.indd 1 17/06/2016 12:48 © Crown copyright 2016 This publication is licensed under the terms of the Open Government Licence v3.0 except where otherwise stated. To view this licence, visit nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ version/3 or write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: [email protected]. Where we have identifi ed any third party copyright information you will need to obtain permission from the copyright holders concerned. This publication is available at www.gov.uk/government/publications Any enquiries regarding this publication should be sent to us at [email protected] Print ISBN 9781474110136 Web ISBN 9781474110143 ID 23051601 46561 07/16 Printed on paper containing 75% recycled fi bre content minimum Printed in the UK by the Williams Lea Group on behalf of the Controller of Her Majesty’s Stationery Offi ce 46561_17b Viking_Volume V Title Page.indd 2 17/06/2016 12:48 Volume V CONTENTS 5 Advice on the legal basis for military action, November 2002 to March 2003 1 6.1 Development of the military options for an invasion of Iraq 171 6.2 Military planning for the invasion, January to March 2003 385 46561_17b Viking_Volume V Title Page.indd 3 17/06/2016 12:48 46561_17b Viking_Volume V Title Page.indd 4 17/06/2016 12:48 SECTION 5 ADVICE ON THE LEGAL BASIS FOR MILITARY ACTION, NOVEMBER 2002 TO MARCH 2003 Contents Introduction and key findings ........................................................................................... 4 UNSCR 1441 ................................................................................................................... 5 Discussion, debate and advice, November to December 2002 ....................................... 6 Lord Goldsmith’s conversations with Mr Powell and Mr Straw, November 2002 ....... 6 Cabinet, 14 November 2002 .................................................................................... 11 “Material breach” and the need for advice ............................................................... 11 House of Commons debate on Iraq, 25 November 2002 ........................................ 17 FCO advice, 6 December 2002 ............................................................................... 19 Obtaining Lord Goldsmith’s opinion ............................................................................... 21 Instructions for Lord Goldsmith to advise ................................................................ 21 Lord Goldsmith’s meeting with No.10 officials, 19 December 2002 ........................ 33 Lord Goldsmith’s provisional view .................................................................................. 36 Lord Goldsmith’s draft advice of 14 January 2003 .................................................. 36 No.10’s reaction to Lord Goldsmith’s advice ........................................................... 42 Cabinet, 16 January 2003 ........................................................................................ 47 Lord Goldsmith’s meeting with Sir Jeremy Greenstock, 23 January 2003 .............. 50 Mr Blair’s interview on BBC Breakfast with Frost, 26 January 2003 ....................... 53 Options for a second resolution ............................................................................... 53 Lord Goldsmith’s advice, 30 January 2003 .................................................................... 55 US agreement to pursue a second resolution ......................................................... 58 Public statements by Mr Blair, February 2003 ......................................................... 60 A disagreement between Mr Straw and Mr Wood .......................................................... 64 Mr Straw’s letter to Lord Goldsmith, 6 February 2003 ............................................. 72 Further advice on a second resolution ..................................................................... 75 Lord Goldsmith’s visit to Washington, 10 February 2003 ............................................... 76 Agreement on a second resolution ................................................................................ 78 A second resolution is tabled ................................................................................... 80 1 46561_17c Viking_Section 5.0.indd 1 17/06/2016 12:49 The Report of the Iraq Inquiry A “reasonable case” ....................................................................................................... 81 Lord Goldsmith’s meeting with No.10 officials, 27 February 2003 ........................... 81 Mr Straw’s evidence to the Foreign Affairs Committee, 4 March 2003 .................... 87 Sir Jeremy Greenstock’s advice on “end game options”, 4 March 2003 ................. 89 Mr Blair’s conversation with President Bush, 5 March 2003 ................................... 90 Advice on the effect of a “veto” ................................................................................ 90 Cabinet, 6 March 2003 ............................................................................................ 92 Lord Goldsmith’s advice, 7 March 2003 ......................................................................... 93 The revival argument – a sound basis “in principle” ................................................ 94 The revival argument – the effect of resolution 1441 (2002) ................................... 95 The first line of argument ......................................................................................... 96 The second line of argument ................................................................................... 97 The significance of OP12 ......................................................................................... 98 Other arguments rejected ........................................................................................ 99 Lord Goldsmith’s conclusions ................................................................................ 100 Other matters dealt with in Lord Goldsmith’s 7 March advice ............................... 105 Media coverage during the weekend of 8 and 9 March ............................................... 107 Government reaction to Lord Goldsmith’s advice of 7 March ...................................... 107 Mr Straw’s statement, 10 March 2003 ................................................................... 107 Mr Blair’s meeting with Lord Goldsmith, 11 March 2003 ....................................... 108 Mr Blair’s meeting, 11 March 2003 ........................................................................ 109 Mr Straw’s minute to Mr Blair, 11 March 2003 ....................................................... 112 Prime Minister’s Questions, 12 March 2003 .......................................................... 115 Sir Jeremy Greenstock’s discussions in New York, 12 March 2003 ...................... 116 Mr Blair’s conversation with President Bush, 12 March 2003 ............................... 118 Cabinet, 13 March 2003 ........................................................................................ 119 The continuing public debate ....................................................................................... 121 Media reports, 13 March 2003 ............................................................................... 121 Parliamentary calls for a statement ....................................................................... 121 The legal basis for military action ................................................................................. 123 Lord Goldsmith’s change of view, 13 March 2003 ................................................. 123 Preparing the legal case ........................................................................................ 129 Lord Goldsmith’s meeting with Lord Falconer and Baroness Morgan, 13 March 2003 ....................................................................................................... 131 Mr Blair’s conversation with President Bush, 13 March 2003 ............................... 132 2 46561_17c Viking_Section 5.0.indd 2 17/06/2016 12:49 5 | Advice on the legal basis for military action, November 2002 to March 2003 Confirmation of Mr Blair’s view .................................................................................... 133 The exchange of letters on 14 and 15 March 2003 ............................................... 133 Mr Blair’s view ........................................................................................................ 136 Mr Blair’s conversation with President Bush, 15 March 2003 ............................... 139 The presentation of the Government’s position ........................................................... 140 FCO paper, ‘Iraqi Non-Compliance with UNSCR 1441’, 15 March 2003 ............... 140 Sir Jeremy Greenstock’s discussions in New York, 16 March 2003 ...................... 141 Preparing the legal argument ................................................................................ 142 Lord Goldsmith’s Written Answer, 17 March 2003 ................................................. 143 Cabinet, 17 March 2003 .......................................................................................