The British Government gave secret assurances that it would “protect US interests” in the Iraq War inquiry, leaked diplomatic cables show. According to a communique released by the Wikileaks website, British officials warned the inquiry would attract a “feeding frenzy” when it started in earnest.
A dispatch sent by Ellen Tauscher, the US Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security, disclosed how Jon Day, the Ministry of Defence’s Director General for security policy, “promised that the UK had 'put measures in place to protect your [the US] interests’” during the inquiry.
The pledge was made on 22 September 2009, two months after the start of the inquiry, chaired by Sir John Chilcot. In May this year some of the members of the inquiry committee met officials from the former and current US administrations in Washington DC.
No record was published of the discussions, because they were not formal evidence sessions.
The Stop the War Coalition claimed the document was evidence of “the beginning of the cover-up” and brought “the whole inquiry into disrepute”.
Last night a spokesman for the inquiry said it would not comment on leaks.
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