Iraq (Hansard, 11 March 2003)

§ Harry Cohen
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether it is his policy that the arms embargo upon Iraq should continue in the event of a post-Saddam Hussein administration; and if he will make a statement. [101216]

§ Mr. Mike O'Brien
The present arms embargo on Iraq was imposed by the United Nations Security Council under resolution 661(1990). We would support the lifting of this embargo as and when circumstances warrant.

§ Mr. Allen
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has held with the(a) US and (b) Turkish Governments on the presence of Turkish troops in northern Iraq; and if he will make a statement. [101410]

§ Mr. MacShane
My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs has been in frequent contact with the US Government on issues related to Iraq; from time to time discussions have 159W included this topic. The Foreign Secretary last met Turkish Foreign Minister Yakis at Copenhagen on 13 December. They did not discuss Iraq.

§ Mr. Allen
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether British Government representatives were invited to the recent meeting in northern Iraq between the US special envoy and Kurdish and Iraqi opposition groups.[101411]

§ Mr. Mike O'Brien
The conference was organised by the Iraqi opposition as a follow-up to the conference held in London in December last year. We were invited to attend but, for logistical reasons, decided not to send a representative. However, UK officials continue to maintain contacts with a wide range of Iraqi opposition groups.

§ Mr. Keetch
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether it is the policy of his Government to support a UN administration in Iraq following any change of regime in that country. [101598]

§ Mr. Mike O'Brien
We would support a UN-authorised transitional civilian administration, if there were a change of regime in Iraq. We would want this to be followed by a new broad-based, effective and representative Iraqi Government.

§ Miss McIntosh
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the UK's relations with European countries with regard to Iraq.[101646]

§ Mr. Mike O'Brien
My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister and I have had frequent discussion on Iraq with European counterparts in multilateral format, most recently at the meeting of the European Union's General Affairs and External Relations Council on 24 February 2003 and the special European Council on 17 February 2003. The position of the European Union is set out in the statement of the European Council on 17 February 2003, a copy of which has been placed in the Library of the House.