Annan called Straw about Blair

By Brendan Carlin and Alec Russell
August 1, 2006
The Telegraph (UK)
Original Source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2006/08/01/wmid701.xml

Tony Blair's isolation over the Middle East crisis deepened last night after it emerged that Kofi Annan privately told Jack Straw of his anger at Britain's refusal to call for an immediate ceasefire.
The UN secretary general's office denied last night that he had urged Mr Straw to put pressure on Mr Blair to abandon his close alliance with President George W Bush over not condemning Israeli military action.
But two days later, Mr Straw, who was foreign secretary until May, issued a statement condemning some Israeli strikes as disproportionate. His criticism led to a major Cabinet split over Middle East policy.
According to well-placed sources, Mr Annan rang Mr Straw, now Leader of the Commons, last Wednesday - just hours after four UN peacekeepers were killed by Israeli action in southern Lebanon. 
Claims that the UN chief was effectively fomenting revolt in Mr Blair's Cabinet against his decision to stick closely to Mr Bush and refuse to call for an immediate ceasefire will infuriate the Prime Minister.
Mr Annan's office insisted last night that he talked directly to Mr Blair, not behind his back. 
However, Mr Annan's decision to talk privately to Mr Straw will undermine confidence in Margaret Beckett, who replaced him as Foreign Secretary. In a series of bad-tempered media performances, she has shown signs of mounting tension with Mr Blair over his approach to the crisis. 
Mr Annan's call will also embolden Labour anger at Mr Blair's shoulder-to-shoulder stance with Mr Bush. Earlier this week, Tony Lloyd, a former Foreign Office minister, said he now felt ashamed to be a Labour MP. 
Another Labour MP and firm supporter of Gordon Brown said last night: This revelation weakens Blair.
According to reports last night, Mr Annan was so distraught at the Prime Minister's refusal to call for an immediate ceasefire that he asked Mr Straw to help in prising Tony Blair apart from George Bush.
UN sources denied that a conversation of that sort took place. But a spokesman for Mr Straw confirmed that Mr Annan had called last week - to wish Mr Straw a happy 60th birthday. However, sources privately confirmed that the conversation as reported took place.
Friends of Mrs Beckett suggested last night that she had been increasingly frustrated over the Prime Minister's failure openly to condemn Israeli attacks despite the death toll among Lebanese civilians.
The Foreign Secretary said yesterday that she had been warning privately for days of a terrible tragedy if the fighting went on.
She has so far refused to say publicly that Israel's military response has been excessive.
In a number of ill-tempered appearances on radio and television, she has stuck to the official line that retaining some influence over Israel was preferable to expressing a view on its military action. 
Ed Stourton, a presenter on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, was yesterday told to pack it in when he asked whether US and UK silence on Israel's tactics had given a green light to continue the attacks.