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| UK 'wanted to avoid Iraq force' | |
| (19 minutes later) | |
| UK policy towards Iraq in 2001 was to avoid force "if at all possible", a former senior diplomat has said. | UK policy towards Iraq in 2001 was to avoid force "if at all possible", a former senior diplomat has said. |
| Sir Jeremy Greenstock, the UK's former ambassador to the UN, said Britain was "sympathetic" to US views on the Iraqi threat but backed "collective action". | Sir Jeremy Greenstock, the UK's former ambassador to the UN, said Britain was "sympathetic" to US views on the Iraqi threat but backed "collective action". |
| He told the Iraq war inquiry the UN Security Council was split between two camps with France and Russia viewing existing sanctions as "too harsh". | He told the Iraq war inquiry the UN Security Council was split between two camps with France and Russia viewing existing sanctions as "too harsh". |
| The inquiry is looking into the background to the 2003 invasion. | The inquiry is looking into the background to the 2003 invasion. |
| 'Division' | 'Division' |
| On its fourth day of public hearings, it is examining failed efforts to resolve the Iraq crisis through the United Nations. | On its fourth day of public hearings, it is examining failed efforts to resolve the Iraq crisis through the United Nations. |
| Sir Jeremy Greenstock was centre stage in UK-led efforts to negotiate a second UN resolution in early 2003 seen by many countries as necessary directly authorise military action. | Sir Jeremy Greenstock was centre stage in UK-led efforts to negotiate a second UN resolution in early 2003 seen by many countries as necessary directly authorise military action. |
| The move was vetoed by France and Russia, leading critics to claim the subsequent invasion was illegal. | The move was vetoed by France and Russia, leading critics to claim the subsequent invasion was illegal. |
| Asked about the UN's policy on Iraq in 2001, Sir Jeremy said he believed no member of the UN "supported" Saddam Hussein or did not believe he was "cheating" sanctions or "defying" the UN over his disarmament obligations. | Asked about the UN's policy on Iraq in 2001, Sir Jeremy said he believed no member of the UN "supported" Saddam Hussein or did not believe he was "cheating" sanctions or "defying" the UN over his disarmament obligations. |
| However, he said there was already a "great division" in the UN Security Council on how to deal with the issue with the US at "one end of the spectrum" and France and Russia at the other end. | However, he said there was already a "great division" in the UN Security Council on how to deal with the issue with the US at "one end of the spectrum" and France and Russia at the other end. |
| The UK government believed confronting Iraq was in the national interest, he said, but felt this should be done through "collective action" and on the basis of UN resolutions. | The UK government believed confronting Iraq was in the national interest, he said, but felt this should be done through "collective action" and on the basis of UN resolutions. |
| Despite a change in mood in the US after the 9/11 attacks, Sir Jeremy said he did not believe there was any "alternative" to trying to make the existing policy of containment of Iraq work. | |
| And he said he did not "recall" being asked to give his views to No 10 about a possible change of approach to Iraq in April 2002. | |
| On Thursday, ex-US ambassador Sir Christopher Meyer said Tony Blair's view on regime change in Iraq "tightened" at that point after a private meeting with President Bush. | |
| 'Heavyweight figure' | 'Heavyweight figure' |
| During the first few weeks inquiry chairman Sir John Chilcot and his four colleagues are focusing on policy in the build-up to the 2003 invasion. | During the first few weeks inquiry chairman Sir John Chilcot and his four colleagues are focusing on policy in the build-up to the 2003 invasion. |
| Sir Christopher Meyer, the UK's former ambassador to the US, also said the rapid military build-up to the invasion in March 2003 had "short-circuited" the process of weapons inspections supported by the UN. | Sir Christopher Meyer, the UK's former ambassador to the US, also said the rapid military build-up to the invasion in March 2003 had "short-circuited" the process of weapons inspections supported by the UN. |
| INQUIRY TIMELINE November-December: Former top civil servants, spy chiefs, diplomats and military commanders to give evidenceJanuary-February 2010: Tony Blair, Gordon Brown and other politicians expected to appear before the panel March 2010: Inquiry expected to adjourn ahead of the general election campaignJuly-August 2010: Inquiry expected to resumeReport set to be published in late 2010 or early 2011 Iraq inquiry: Day-by-day timeline Q&A: Iraq war inquiry | INQUIRY TIMELINE November-December: Former top civil servants, spy chiefs, diplomats and military commanders to give evidenceJanuary-February 2010: Tony Blair, Gordon Brown and other politicians expected to appear before the panel March 2010: Inquiry expected to adjourn ahead of the general election campaignJuly-August 2010: Inquiry expected to resumeReport set to be published in late 2010 or early 2011 Iraq inquiry: Day-by-day timeline Q&A: Iraq war inquiry |
| The ex-diplomat said officials had been left "scrabbling" for evidence of WMD as US troops prepared for invasion. | The ex-diplomat said officials had been left "scrabbling" for evidence of WMD as US troops prepared for invasion. |
| He also said, as early as March 2002, the UK was urging President Bush to "go down the UN route" to build an international coalition if he proposed to oust Saddam Hussein. | He also said, as early as March 2002, the UK was urging President Bush to "go down the UN route" to build an international coalition if he proposed to oust Saddam Hussein. |
| Weapons inspectors returned to Iraq in early 2003 after the UN Security Council passed resolution 1441 the previous November, the passage of which Sir Jeremy was heavily involved in. | Weapons inspectors returned to Iraq in early 2003 after the UN Security Council passed resolution 1441 the previous November, the passage of which Sir Jeremy was heavily involved in. |
| This resolution gave Saddam Hussein a "final opportunity" to declare his full weapons stockpile and co-operate with inspectors or face serious consequences. | This resolution gave Saddam Hussein a "final opportunity" to declare his full weapons stockpile and co-operate with inspectors or face serious consequences. |
| The US and UK governments cited his failure to comply with this resolution as justification for the invasion. | The US and UK governments cited his failure to comply with this resolution as justification for the invasion. |
| The BBC's World Affairs Correspondent Peter Biles said Sir Jeremy was a "heavyweight" figure who would be expected to shed light on what the UK and its allies knew about Iraq's true military threat. | The BBC's World Affairs Correspondent Peter Biles said Sir Jeremy was a "heavyweight" figure who would be expected to shed light on what the UK and its allies knew about Iraq's true military threat. |
| Sir Jeremy was also deputy of the heavily criticised Coalition Provisional Authority which ran Iraq in the months after the war. | Sir Jeremy was also deputy of the heavily criticised Coalition Provisional Authority which ran Iraq in the months after the war. |
| He has since been critical about how post-war Iraq was administered and was forced to pull a memoir of the period in 2005 in the face of government opposition. | He has since been critical about how post-war Iraq was administered and was forced to pull a memoir of the period in 2005 in the face of government opposition. |
| However, Sir Jeremy will be questioned about the issue at a later date in the inquiry. | However, Sir Jeremy will be questioned about the issue at a later date in the inquiry. |
| Weapons focus | Weapons focus |
| The inquiry has so far concentrated on UK-US relations in the run-up to war and the UK's assessment of Iraq's military threat. | The inquiry has so far concentrated on UK-US relations in the run-up to war and the UK's assessment of Iraq's military threat. |
| A senior Foreign Office official revealed on Wednesday that it had received reports just days before the invasion that Saddam Hussein may not be able to use chemical weapons as they had been "disassembled". | A senior Foreign Office official revealed on Wednesday that it had received reports just days before the invasion that Saddam Hussein may not be able to use chemical weapons as they had been "disassembled". |
| WITNESSES ON FRIDAY Sir Jeremy Greenstock, UK Permanent Representative to the UN 1997-2003 Analysis: tolerant or critical? How US has investigated Iraq war Send us your comments | WITNESSES ON FRIDAY Sir Jeremy Greenstock, UK Permanent Representative to the UN 1997-2003 Analysis: tolerant or critical? How US has investigated Iraq war Send us your comments |
| But Sir William Ehrman told the inquiry these reports "contradicted" earlier intelligence and did not "invalidate" the fact that Iraq was believed to possess weapons of mass destruction. | But Sir William Ehrman told the inquiry these reports "contradicted" earlier intelligence and did not "invalidate" the fact that Iraq was believed to possess weapons of mass destruction. |
| He told the inquiry that he was "surprised" that no weapons of mass destruction were ultimately ever found in Iraq. | He told the inquiry that he was "surprised" that no weapons of mass destruction were ultimately ever found in Iraq. |
| The Iraq inquiry, set up by Prime Minister Gordon Brown in July, is due to report by the end of 2010. | The Iraq inquiry, set up by Prime Minister Gordon Brown in July, is due to report by the end of 2010. |
| Mr Brown and his predecessor Tony Blair are expected to be among future witnesses along with former senior advisers and military figures. | Mr Brown and his predecessor Tony Blair are expected to be among future witnesses along with former senior advisers and military figures. |