HC Deb 03 March 2004 vol 418 cc996-7W
Norman Lamb

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether(a) Ministers and (b) officials from (i) his Department and (ii) other Departments have had contact with Mr Nadhmi Auchi since the conflict in Iraq; and if he will make a statement. [142019]

Mr. Rammell

Pursuant to his answer on 5 January 2004,Official Report, column 84W.

Since replying, it has been brought to my attention that my noble Friend the Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean wrote to Mr. Nadhmi Auchi on 7 July 2003 in response to his letter to my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 15 May 2003 about the Anglo Arab Organisation. United Kingdom Trade and Investment (UKTI) officials also met with Mr Auchi in June 2003, in connection with his role in the Anglo-Arab Organisation and in July sent him a list of their events in the region. Mr Auchi also sent three invitations to the Prime Minister and his officials, all of which were declined

Lady Hermon

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the earliest possible date for the holding of elections in Iraq; and what steps he is taking to expedite such an election. [157652]

Mr. Rammell

The Special Envoy of the UN Secretary-General, Lakhdar Brahimi, visited Iraq in February to look into the processes and timing of elections. His report, issued on 23 February, made clear that elections were not feasible before the end of 2004 at the earliest. We accept this assessment and stand ready to support the UN and the Iraqis in preparing for elections based on the UN's suggested timetable. We have worked hard with the Iraqis to agree a Transitional Administrative Law, an essential step towards early elections.

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