Written question asked by Lord Dykes (Liberal Democrat), in the House of Lords. It was answered by Lord Triesman (Labour) on Monday, 29 January 2007.

Iraq: Study Group Recommendations

Question: asked Her Majesty's Government:What is their response to the recent Government of the United States references to Iran and Syria, following the suggestion by the Iraq Study Group that these two countries should be more actively involved in giving advice on how to resolve the problems in Iraq.

Answer: As my right honourable friend the Foreign Secretary told the Foreign Affairs and Defence Select Committees on 11 January, the UK continues to have greater direct engagement with Iran and Syria than the US, but the messages we are conveying are not different. As my right honourable friend the Prime Minister has said, Syria and Iran face a strategic choice between whether to play a constructive role in the region or face isolation. We welcome the direct engagement that the Iraqi Government have pushed with both countries in recent months.

Secondary information