Tony Blair will today urge George Bush to internationalise the reconstruction of postwar Iraq, and is expecting a series of conferences to phase in a democratic Iraqi government.
In advance of today’s two-day summit with the US president in Belfast, Mr Blair spoke to the UN secretary general, Kofi Annan, to discuss the likely role of the UN in endorsing an interim Iraqi authority.
Britain believes the UN has no desire to run the country, but UN endorsement of the interim authority is required to give it legitimacy and allow assistance from UN resources such as the World Bank, and the oil-for-food programme.
Blair is also hoping that the Middle East road map will be published within a fortnight. The trigger for publication — the formal appointment of Abu Mazen as Palestinian prime minister — could occur this week.
At the Belfast talks, Bush will also endorse the final drive for peace in Northern Ireland by meeting political leaders. Blair will return to Belfast on Thursday to put a final package to the parties designed to restore direct rule and secure an act of completion by the IRA — forsaking violence and decommissioning weapons.
Downing Street stressed that no deal was yet in the bag on Northern Ireland.
Blair is hoping the temporary administration in Iraq, to be run by a retired US general, Jay Garner, will last only two to three months, before the interim authority takes over. The US deputy defence secretary, Paul Wolfowitz, suggested yesterday a longer time frame, of six months.
Blair believes the differences between himself and the US over the role of the UN are less stark than reported, but he does not want the Garner operation to be seen as a US occupying power handing out contracts solely to US firms.
Garner has assembled in great secrecy a 300 strong US office of reconstruction and humanitarian assistance, seen by Britain as a short term body to ensure the basics of administration are delivered as the military slowly withdraws.
Downing Street is satisfied that the interim authority will not be dominated by controversial exiles favoured by the Pentagon, but will include leaders likely to emerge from within Iraq. The White House refrains from describing the interim authority as a government, and suggests that even when established it must work alongside Garner’s team. The method of selecting the authority remains vague, but the Pentagon has its favourites.
The US Congress has been so angered by the Pentagon role, and the secrecy, that it is withholding reconstruction cash from Bush.
Mike O’Brien, the foreign office minister, said on BBC radio: ”Garner’s job will last a relatively short period. We then hope to move to phase 2 when an Iraqi authority will be set up, run by the Iraqis themselves. There will be some American advisers to help Iraqi ministers. Then we will have a constitutional convention, or something like that, and … we hope to have an election as soon as possible.
”The UN don’t want to run Iraq. They don’t run countries. They will be involved in the postwar humanitarian effort, and the handover to the Iraqi interim authority. The US and the UK agree the UN will have that key role.”
But he said details were still to be agreed.
The Pentagon and the state department are engaged in a struggle over the future shape of Iraq and the role of the UN. The Pentagon view is that, having shed blood to take over Iraq, US forces should remain in charge for the foreseeable future and the UN should have a minor role, if any.
The state department favours the UN having more of a role than the Pentagon is prepared to contemplate. Condoleezza Rice, the national security adviser, who was in Moscow yesterday, indicated last week that the White House is closer to the Pentagon position.
It is seen within Downing Street as significant that Mr Bush is willing to travel to Britain to hold the talks, and is interpreted as part of a wider diplomatic reaching out by the Bush administration.
But the US president is likely to be greeted by anti-war demonstrators from all over Ireland. There is also fierce opposition to the Dublin government allowing Shannon airport to be used as a stopover for US planes, given the republic’s professed neutrality.
Northern Irish nationalist leaders opposed to the war will be in an interesting position as their supporters take part in protests while they meet Bush. A Sinn Fein representative said the party would be ”mobilising” protesters but there was no question of its politicians boycotting Bush. – Guardian Unlimited Â