§ Lord Clement-Jonesasked Her Majesty's Government:
What sources of security advice they used when deciding to locate British consular services in Kirkuk rather than Erbil; what was the substance of that advice, and what other consultations they had regarding the location of consular services in Northern Iraq. [HL4157]
§ Baroness Symons of Vernham DeanThe decision to locate the office of the British Embassy of Northern Iraq in Kirkuk was taken, among other considerations, on the basis of security advice provided by Foreign and Commonwealth Office security advisers and the British Office, Baghdad. A major factor was the opportunity to house the office within the US mission in Kirkuk. The decision involved discussions with our officials in Iraq, the Iraqi authorities and the US.