§ Lord Lairdasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether in their recent discussions with the Irish Republic's Government the prospect of a war with Iraq featured; and, if so, whether they are content with the Irish response. [HL1870]
§ Baroness Symons of Vernham DeanMy right honourable friends the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs meet their Irish counterparts regularly in a number of fora. Discussions have covered a range of topics, including Iraq. All EU countries are committed to the full and effective disarmament of Iraq in accordance with Resolution 1441 of the United Nations Security Council. This position was reaffirmed most recently by the Extraordinary Meeting of the European Council on 17 February, which stated that the Iraqi regime must co-operate immediately and fully and would bear sole responsibility for the consequences if it failed to take this last chance to resolve the crisis peacefully.