Downing Street Says » 2004

» Tuesday, June 8, 2004

Saudi Arabia

Questioned about travel guidance for those planning to visit Saudi Arabia, the PMS said that it hadn't changed since yesterday. As the Foreign Office had stipulated, people should travel to Saudi Arabia only if was essential to do so.

Briefing took place at 11:00 | Read whole briefing | Comments (0)

Iraq

Asked for an update on the UN Resolution on Iraq, the PMS said that she did not want to pre-empt what might transpire later today. However, it was important for people to recognise that a lot of work had been done on this issue. We were very happy with the way things had gone and we were also very satisfied with the language in the Resolution, which was just what we had been looking for. The day the Resolution was passed would be a good day for Iraq and the UN.

Briefing took place at 11:00 | Read whole briefing | Comments (0)

G8

Asked for a reaction to today's Guardian story suggesting that President Bush might be willing to support the UK's debt relief plan for poorer countries in return for backing for a proposal to write off debts incurred by Saddam, the PMS said that her colleague had explained the general principles of the G8 Summit at both of yesterday's briefings. Heads of Government would look at the broader Middle East and also Africa following on from the process begun at Evian. No doubt other issues would be dealt with in the margins of the Summit, many of which might not grab the headlines but which were important nevertheless.

Briefing took place at 11:00 | Read whole briefing | Comments (0)

» Monday, June 7, 2004

Iraq

Asked for an update on the UN Resolution on Iraq, the Prime Minister's Official Spokesman (PMOS) said that as he had told journalists this morning, genuine progress had been made. This had been helped enormously by the input of the Iraqi Prime Minister and Foreign Minister over the weekend. However, we wanted to see a genuine consensus. The text of the Resolution would therefore be put to the vote once we believed we had the best chance of the Resolution being passed. We did not think that would be very long. He was unable to put a more precise timescale on the process because, as we knew from past experience, the UN had a habit of proving predictions wrong.

Briefing took place at 15:45 | Read whole briefing | Comments (0)

G8

Asked again what we were expecting the big issues to be at the G8 Summit in Georgia this week, the PMOS said that as he had told journalists this morning, the broader Middle East was of primary concern to G8 members. We were interested in practical ways we could assist with the reform agenda - whether economically, educationally or politically - but done in a way which would not impose solutions from outside. Other big issues expected to be raised included Africa where the agenda, started at Evian, would continue all the way through to the UK's Presidency of the G8 next year. Part of those discussions would relate to the issue of peacekeeping. Debt was also likely to be discussed, as it had been a particular concern to the G8. Questioned further about other items on the agenda, the PMOS pointed out that the Summit was an informal meeting where other issues of concern to people could also be raised.

Briefing took place at 15:45 | Read whole briefing | Comments (0)

PM Security

Asked to expand on the Prime Minister's comments in an interview with Time Out magazine, due to be published tomorrow, regarding his concerns about the creation of a barrier between the public and politicians following the recent flour attack in the House of Commons, the PMOS said that the Prime Minister's view on this matter was clear. Difficult though it might be, it was important to achieve the right balance between protecting politicians properly on the one hand, and maintaining the accessibility of the public on the other. As the current campaigning for the forthcoming elections by all parties demonstrated, direct contact with the electorate was a tradition which was both valued and useful. It went without saying that no politician, from the Prime Minister down, would want such a practice to end. Asked if the Prime Minister was disappointed that the G8 Summit in Georgia would be taking place under such tight security, the PMOS said that the protests we had seen in recent years showed that security was clearly a problem. That was something to be regretted. Nevertheless, the G8 was still an important meeting as it dealt with the big, broad issues of concern. The outcomes and conclusions might not grab headlines on the day. However, they presented coherent strategies to tackle 'unfashionable' problems, such as debt, which could make a real difference to the developing world.

Briefing took place at 15:45 | Read whole briefing | Comments (0)

Saudi Arabia

Asked if there were any plans to strengthen the security advice for Britons working in Saudi Arabia, the PMOS said that the Foreign Office had already issued guidance stating that people should travel to Saudi Arabia only if it was essential to do so. The situation there would be kept under constant review, as you would expect. The PMOS added that, as he had told journalists this morning, our thoughts were with the families of Frank Gardner and Simon Cumbers. Those journalists who had been fortunate to come across Simon, both in Ireland and here, would know that he was a decent man and was someone who would be sadly missed.

Briefing took place at 15:45 | Read whole briefing | Comments (0)

Saudi Arabia

The Prime Minister's Official Spokesman (PMOS) told journalists that our thoughts this morning were with the families of the BBC's Frank Gardner and Simon Cumbers. Those who had come across Simon through his work knew that he was a decent man. He would be missed.

Briefing took place at 11:00 | Read whole briefing | Comments (0)

President Reagan

Asked if the Prime Minister would be attending the funeral of President Reagan in the US on Friday, the PMOS said that these were matters of protocol for the US to deal with in the first instance, and he was therefore unable to give a definitive answer to the question at this stage.

Briefing took place at 11:00 | Read whole briefing | Comments (2)

G8 Summit

Asked what the Prime Minister believed were the priorities for the G8 Summit in Georgia this week, the PMOS said that there was a particular US focus on the broader Middle East and on Africa in the run-up up to the UK's presidency of the G8 next year. As in recent years, the emphasis would be on practical matters which would help the reform process in both areas, ranging from the economy to education to helping political reform. This would be done in a way which would not impose reform from the outside but would ensure that we worked together with those countries involved. Further detail on this would emerge as the G8 Summit went on.

Briefing took place at 11:00 | Read whole briefing | Comment (1)

Original PMOS briefings are © Crown Copyright. Crown Copyright material is reproduced with the permission of the Controller of HMSO and the Queen's Printer for Scotland. Click-use licence number C02W0004089. Material is reproduced from the original 10 Downing Street source, but may not be the most up-to-date version of the briefings, which might be revised at the original source. Users should check with the original source in case of revisions. Comments are © Copyright contributors. Everything else is © Copyright Downing Street Says.

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» Tuesday, June 8, 2004

Saudi Arabia

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» Monday, June 7, 2004

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