Downing Street Says » Iraq/Troops

Asked if the Prime Minister had been indicating today that it was unlikely that the UK would be sending any further troops to Iraq, the Prime Minister’s Official Spokesman (PMOS) said that as the Prime Minister had underlined in his joint press conference with Prime Minister Berlusconi of Italy this afternoon, it was an issue which we were keeping under constant review. We would consult with our allies about the implications of other countries’ decisions. As he had pointed out, while some countries had said that they would be pulling their troops out, others, notably Japan and South Korea, had made commitments. It was a changing situation which we were keeping under constant review. Pressed further, the PMOS said that if there was any announcement to make, it would be made formally in the usual way. Put to him that the Prime Minister had appeared to be making a formal announcement today, the PMOS said that the Prime Minister had simply been outlining the current assessment. As he had said, it was an issue which we were keeping under constant review. Asked if the Prime Minister’s statement that there were enough British troops in Iraq to do the job applied only to today or the foreseeable future, the PMOS said that the statement had been made today. However, the Prime Minister had also said today that the situation was being kept under constant review. Putt him that a report in yesterday’s Times had put in place speculation about several plans being discussed, the PMOS said that he understood why people wanted to engage in speculation about this issue. However, given the fact that discussions were ongoing with our allies, the outcome would be announced formally in the usual way. Asked if he was indicating that it would be wrong for journalists to infer from the Prime Minister’s words this afternoon that he was ruling out the prospect of sending further British troops to Iraq, the PMOS said he was simply making the point that it was important to go through the proper processes of assessment and review. The Prime Minister’s words spoke for themselves. The matter was being kept under constant review. Put to him that the matter needed clarifying because he was inviting the headline “PM Speaks Out-of-Turn”, the PMOS said that if journalists were minded to write articles suggesting that “PMOS Slaps Down PM”, they would be absolutely wrong in their interpretation of the press conference this afternoon. The Prime Minister had said that, according to current assessments, there were sufficient British troops in Iraq. However, he had also underlined that the matter was kept under constant review. That was the position. Nothing had changed.

Asked if the discussions that were taking place were also focussing on the possibility that British troops might have to operate further north than Basra, the PMOS said that there were all sorts of issues which had to be considered. Once decisions had been taken, they would be announced in the appropriate way and at the appropriate time.

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» Tuesday, April 27, 2004

Iraq/Troops

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