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Iraq

Answer

The role of the EU Rule of Law Mission is to provide training for up to 770 senior and high-potential officials primarily from the police, judiciary and penitentiary to strengthen management capacity and improve skills and procedures in criminal investigation, in full respect for the rule of law and human rights.Training takes place in the EU. Trainers and training courses are supplied and funded by contributing EU member states while the EU funds the common costs for the mission. This includes the organisational and management staff and the administrative costs for the mission. The mission has a co-ordinating office in Brussels, and a liaison office in Baghdad, which co-ordinates between the Iraqi authorities and the course organisers.The mission's mandate was granted by a Joint Action agreed by the General Affairs and External Relations Council on 7 March 2005.The budget for the common costs of the mission is sourced from the Common Foreign Security Policy Budget and is €10 million. This covers the administrative costs of the Brussels co-ordination office and the Baghdad liaison office.Members of the Baghdad liaison office do not have diplomatic status. This means that they are subject to Iraqi law. The British embassy and members of the office are currently negotiating diplomatic recognition with the Iraqi authorities, which would give them a level of immunity under Coalition Provisional Authority Order 17.The UK provides accommodation and security and protection services for the five-person Baghdad liaison office. The EU reimburses the UK for the services provided.Members of the EU team based in Iraq are accorded the same levels of protection as British diplomats.The Baghdad liaison office is situated inside the British embassy building. This is in a secure, guarded compound, inside the international zone. Transfers to and from the airport are by helicopter.The release of classified documents outside of normal government channels such as to the EU is decided on a case by case basis. The originator of the document has the final say over its release and documents would be edited to remove any information where its release would be damaging.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

15915; 437 c461-2W;437 c467-8W

Session

2005-06

Subjects

Iraq EU external relations