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| Foreign Office fights disclosure of Blair-Bush Iraq conversation | Foreign Office fights disclosure of Blair-Bush Iraq conversation |
| (9 months later) | |
| The Foreign Office (FCO) is appealing against a judge's ruling that extracts of a conversation between Tony Blair and George Bush days before the invasion of Iraq must be disclosed. | The Foreign Office (FCO) is appealing against a judge's ruling that extracts of a conversation between Tony Blair and George Bush days before the invasion of Iraq must be disclosed. |
| It argues that revealing Blair's comments to Bush on the telephone on 12 March 2003 would present a "significant danger" to UK-US relations. It would lead to the US withholding information from Britain in the future, damaging Britain's security and diplomatic interests, the FCO says. | It argues that revealing Blair's comments to Bush on the telephone on 12 March 2003 would present a "significant danger" to UK-US relations. It would lead to the US withholding information from Britain in the future, damaging Britain's security and diplomatic interests, the FCO says. |
| In a ruling in May, Judge John Angel, president of the information tribunal, accused FCO witnesses of downplaying the importance of a decision to go to war, a view the tribunal found "difficult to accept". The tribunal added: "Also in our view, particularly from the evidence in this case, the circumstances surrounding a decision by a UK government to go to war with another country is always likely to be of very significant public interest, even more so with the consequences of this war." | In a ruling in May, Judge John Angel, president of the information tribunal, accused FCO witnesses of downplaying the importance of a decision to go to war, a view the tribunal found "difficult to accept". The tribunal added: "Also in our view, particularly from the evidence in this case, the circumstances surrounding a decision by a UK government to go to war with another country is always likely to be of very significant public interest, even more so with the consequences of this war." |
| The tribunal approved an order by the information commissioner, Christopher Graham, who stated: "Accountability for the decision to take military action against another country is paramount." He said the material that should be disclosed related to a "key conversation between Mr Blair and President Bush with regard to a foreign policy decision of almost unparalleled magnitude". | The tribunal approved an order by the information commissioner, Christopher Graham, who stated: "Accountability for the decision to take military action against another country is paramount." He said the material that should be disclosed related to a "key conversation between Mr Blair and President Bush with regard to a foreign policy decision of almost unparalleled magnitude". |
| He ordered that part of the record of the conversation between Blair and Bush relating to the invasion "from the UK perspective" be disclosed. The part recording Bush's views should remain secret, he ruled. The information tribunal agreed. It was responding to a freedom of information request by Stephen Plowden, a private individual who demanded disclosure of the entire record of the conversation. | He ordered that part of the record of the conversation between Blair and Bush relating to the invasion "from the UK perspective" be disclosed. The part recording Bush's views should remain secret, he ruled. The information tribunal agreed. It was responding to a freedom of information request by Stephen Plowden, a private individual who demanded disclosure of the entire record of the conversation. |
| The FCO has now sought leave to appeal against the decision with an "upper tribunal" made up of more senior judges, officials have told the Guardian. | The FCO has now sought leave to appeal against the decision with an "upper tribunal" made up of more senior judges, officials have told the Guardian. |
| In the phone conversation, Blair and Bush are believed to have discussed UN resolutions on Iraq and a television interview given by Jacques Chirac, then French president, on 10 March 2003. Blair repeatedly blamed Chirac for the failure to get a second UN security council resolution backing an invasion of Iraq, accusing the French president of killing off all hope of a diplomatic solution to the Iraq crisis. | In the phone conversation, Blair and Bush are believed to have discussed UN resolutions on Iraq and a television interview given by Jacques Chirac, then French president, on 10 March 2003. Blair repeatedly blamed Chirac for the failure to get a second UN security council resolution backing an invasion of Iraq, accusing the French president of killing off all hope of a diplomatic solution to the Iraq crisis. |
| Jack Straw, then foreign secretary, claimed in evidence to the Chilcot inquiry into the Iraq war that Chirac made it clear France would not back a fresh UN resolution "whatever the circumstances". He added: "I don't think there was any ambiguity." | Jack Straw, then foreign secretary, claimed in evidence to the Chilcot inquiry into the Iraq war that Chirac made it clear France would not back a fresh UN resolution "whatever the circumstances". He added: "I don't think there was any ambiguity." |
| But Straw's claims were contradicted by Sir John Holmes, then UK ambassador to France. He told Chilcot that Chirac's words were "clearly ambiguous". | But Straw's claims were contradicted by Sir John Holmes, then UK ambassador to France. He told Chilcot that Chirac's words were "clearly ambiguous". |
| The tribunal was told that what Chirac actually said was that France would reject a new pro-war resolution at that particular moment since the UN weapons inspectors had not been given enough time to carry out their mission in Iraq. Chirac had added: "It will be for the security council and it alone will decide the right thing to do. But in that case, of course, regrettably, the war would become inevitable. It isn't today." | The tribunal was told that what Chirac actually said was that France would reject a new pro-war resolution at that particular moment since the UN weapons inspectors had not been given enough time to carry out their mission in Iraq. Chirac had added: "It will be for the security council and it alone will decide the right thing to do. But in that case, of course, regrettably, the war would become inevitable. It isn't today." |
| Clare Short, international development secretary at the time, accused Blair in the information tribunal hearing of "clearly, deliberately misleading the French position". | Clare Short, international development secretary at the time, accused Blair in the information tribunal hearing of "clearly, deliberately misleading the French position". |
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