LONDON, June 11 (UPI) -- British officials were told in July 2002 that Prime Minister Tony Blair agreed in April 2002 to back military action in Iraq, the Sunday Times of London said.
The paper reported that British cabinet members on July 23, 2002, discussed a briefing paper indicating that Blair had agreed at an April meeting with U.S. President George W. Bush to support action to get rid of former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein. The briefing paper -- which was leaked to the paper -- said that, since regime change was illegal, it was "necessary to create the conditions" which would make it legal.
"U.S. plans assume, as a minimum, the use of British bases in Cyprus and Diego Garcia," the briefing paper warned. This meant that issues of legality "would arise virtually whatever option ministers choose with regard to U.K. participation."
The Sunday Times reported that, in addition to Blair, the July 23, 2002, meeting was attended by then-Defense Minister Geoff Hoon; Foreign Secretary Jack Straw; and Richard Dearlove, who at the time headed Britain's MI6 foreign intelligence agency.
The minutes of the meeting, known as the "Downing Street memo," were published in the Sunday Times last month.
