Mr. BaylyellTo ask The Prime Minister:, pursuant to his answer of 16 March 1999,Official Report, column 573, if he will have discussions with the Iraqi authorities about increasing the role of the UN in the distribution of medical supplies in central and southern Iraq. [78029]
§ The Prime Minister[holding answer 22 March 1999]: As my hon. Friend is aware, we have no diplomatic relations with the Government of Iraq and our dealings with them are strictly limited to occasional contacts with the Iraqi Interests Section of the Jordanian Embassy in London and the Iraqi mission to the UN in New York.
279WAs I said in my earlier answer, we would support proposals from the panel assessing the humanitarian situation in Iraq to increase the role of the UN in distributing medical supplies in central and southern Iraq. But it would be for the UN to discuss any such proposals with the Iraqi authorities.