§ Mr. Lathamasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will list the names, specific titles or job specifications and dates of notification under article 10 of the Vienna convention of each of the 31 administrative and technical staff of the Iraqi embassy in London.
§ Mr. LuceThe names of the administrative and technical staff of all diplomatic missions are provided on the understanding that they are not for publication. I regret, therefore, that I cannot provide the information sought.
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§ Mr. Lathamasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) whether, as part of his review of the overall size of the Syrian embassy in the United Kingdom, he will take into account the numerical imbalance between the 25 Syrian diplomats and three administrative and technical staff in post in London and the 18 British diplomats and no administrative and technical staff in Damascus with a view to achieving greater equality of numbers;
(2) whether, as part of his review of the overall size of the Iraqi embassy in the United Kingdom, he will take into account the numerical imbalance between the 29 Iraqi diplomats and 31 administrative and technical staff in post in London and the 18 British diplomats and 10 administrative and technical staff in Baghdad, with a view to achieving greater equality of numbers.
§ Mr. LuceWe shall bear the comments of my hon. Friend in mind. Many foreign Governments find it necessary to maintain larger numbers of staff in their diplomatic missions in London than we do in the corresponding overseas capital. This reflects the importance of London as an international centre for trade, commodities and investment. Nevertheless, I should emphasise that we keep the size of all foreign missions in this country under constant and careful review.
§ Mr. Lathamasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether, as part of his review of the overall size of the Iranian embassy in the United Kingdom, he will take into account the numerical imbalance between the 13 Iranian diplomats and six administrative and technical staff in London and the 15 British diplomats attached to the Swedish embassy in Tehran, with a view to achieving greater equality of numbers.
§ Mr. LuceThe size of British missions overseas, including that in Tehran, is based on a careful assessment of British interests and objectives. Equality of size with missions of overseas Governments in the United Kingdom is not one of the criteria. There are no plans to reduce the number of British diplomats in Tehran, nor to ask the Iranians to reduce the number of their administrative and technical staff in London.
§ Mr. Lathamasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will outline the reasons why the Islamic Republic of Iran is permitted to maintain an embassy in London and a consulate general in Manchester, when Her Majesty's Government's representation in Tehran is through a British interests section of the Royal Swedish embassy; and whether he will require the immediate closure of the Iranian embassy in London until a normal diplomatic balance is achieved.
§ Mr. LuceThe difference in the type of diplomatic representation in London and Tehran dates from 1980, when we withdrew our embassy staff from Tehran because their safety could not be guaranteed. The diplomatic representation in the respective capitals is a subject of continuing discussions with the Iranian Government; there are at present no plans to require the closure of the Iranian Embassy.
The Iranians' main requirement for a consulate in Manchester is to look after the interests of Iranian nationals living in the north of England. We have no corresponding requirement in Iran, where there are few British nationals living outside the capital.