HC Deb 28 April 2003 vol 404 cc123-5W
Mr. Leigh

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with Iraqi opposition groups about the nature of a post-war Iraq Government. [107823]

Mr. Mike O'Brien

We hold regular consultations with the Iraqi community in the UK and elsewhere and are actively seeking their input into a representative post-Saddam Government in Iraq.

Adam Price

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the Government's policy is on the participation of pro-independence Kurdish political parties and pro-Iranian Islamic fundamentalist parties in elections in post-war Iraq. [107971]

Mr. Mike O'Brien

As my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister told the House on 2 April 2003, "We want Iraq to be run by the Iraqi people for the Iraqi people". And we want to get to this point as soon as possible.

In order to facilitate this, we hold regular consultations with the Iraqi community in the UK and elsewhere and are actively seeking their input into discussions on a representative post-Saddam Government in Iraq.

We hope that any post-Saddam representative authority in Iraq will include all sections of Iraqi society. However, as we have made clear on many occasions, we condemn terrorism and terrorist organisations and do not expect recognised terrorist organisations to be part of the process leading to a representative authority in post-Saddam Iraq.

Adam Price

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the content of the 1994 US Senate Riegle Report, with particular reference to Chapter 1, Part 2, US Exports of Biological Materials to Iraq. [108536]

Mr. Mike O'Brien

The section of the report dealing with US exports of biological materials to Iraq contains details of a number of exports of both pathogenic and non-pathogenic materials in the 1980s. These exports were licensed by the relevant US authority at the time, on the basis that they were for legitimate scientific research purposes.

Mr. David

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has collated on whether the President of Ukraine authorised arms shipments to Iraq last year. [109096]

Mr. MacShane

In September 2002 the United States authenticated a recording of President Kuchma in 2000 authorising a transfer of arms to Iraq. A US-UK team of experts visited Ukraine in October 2002 to investigate. The team concluded that they were not satisfied that the arms could not have been transferred. The matter has therefore remained open.

Joan Ruddock

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the(a) names and (b) organisations of those attending the meeting in Nassiriya on 15 April; and which of them are women. [110184]

Mr. Mike O'Brien

The US organisers of the Nassiriya meeting issued invitations to individual Iraqis, not organisations. It would be inappropriate to name these individuals without their consent. Six Iraqi women were invited. At least four are reported to have attended and three spoke publicly. Eight US female staff were also invited. The Government welcome the commitment made at the meeting, thatIraq must be built on respect for diversity including respect for the role of women".

Mr. Leigh

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans the coalition forces have to increase Iraqi oil production to pre-1991 levels. [108900]

Mr. Mike O'Brien

The coalition will limit itself to emergency maintenance and repairs, and other short term measures, which might allow production at or above last year's level, itself about the same as in 1990. But my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has made it quite clear on numerous occasions that Iraqi oil belongs to the people of Iraq. All major investment decisions should be taken by the Iraqis themselves, not the coalition.