§ 10. Hugh Bayley (City of York) (Lab)If he will make a statement on the prospects for holding elections in Iraq. [157421]
§ The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Mr. Jack Straw)May I begin my expressing, on behalf of the whole House, our shock and outrage at the latest terrorist attacks in Iraq—in Baghdad and Karbala—which led to the killing of at least 100 people and many, many more injuries. I should like to send our condolences to the relatives and friends of those involved and great sympathy to those injured. Those attacked today in Karbala and Baghdad were exercising their religious freedom—a freedom won only following the departure of Saddam Hussein. This freedom is now enshrined in the transitional administrative law, on which an historic agreement was reached just two days ago, on Sunday. The transitional administrative law is, in effect, a provisional constitution for a free Iraq. It follows the visit to Iraq of the special envoy of the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Lakhdar Brahimi. In his report, Mr. Brahimi made it clear that preparations for direct elections would take eight months after agreement on an electoral law and the establishment of an elections commission. That would point to elections sometime in the first half of next year.
§ Hugh BayleyElections could not possibly have taken place under the previous regime—that is clear. Does my right hon. Friend recognise the need to continue to involve the United Nations in the preparations for elections? Can he tell the House what our Government are doing to ensure that Iraqi women will be able to participate fully and freely in the elections when they take place?
§ Mr. StrawWe greatly encouraged the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Kofi Annan, to appoint a special representative to assist in the process. We were delighted when he decided to appoint one of the world's most experienced international diplomats, Lakhdar Brahimi, who had done such a good job in Afghanistan, and he will continue to get our full support.
On the issue of women in Iraq, the transitional administrative law that was agreed on Sunday sets as a target that the political institutions of Iraq should aim for 25 per cent. representation of women. I may say that that is a higher proportion than we have been able to achieve in this country or than has been achieved in almost any other European country.
§ Chris Grayling (Epsom and Ewell) (Con)Is the Foreign Secretary confident that none of the groups involved in the political process in the run-up to elections in Iraq has any linkages to the violence that is taking place in the country at present?
§ Mr. StrawOne cannot be completely confident about that. However, what has been shown in the 10½ months since the fall of Saddam is a real burgeoning desire by the overwhelming majority of Iraqis and their representatives to build a new and free Iraq. The agreement that was reached on Sunday by representatives of the Kurds, the Sunni Arabs and the Shi'ites opens with words, unanimously agreed by them all, condemning the oppression and terror that was perpetrated by Saddam—which oppression and terror would have continued had that man not been removed.