Oral question asked in the House of Lords, by Baroness Williams of Crosby (Liberal Democrat). It was answered on Wednesday, 6 June 2007.

Iraq and Iran: Stability Talks

Question: My Lords, I thank the Minister for her reply. I simply remind the House that that meeting, which took place during the parliamentary Recess, was the first direct, open meeting held between the two countries at a senior level for 48 years. Importantly, they both agreed that they wanted to see a stable, secure and democratic Iraq. First, do Her Majesty’s Government welcome the suggestion put forward by the Iranian side that there should be a continuation of that trialogue between Iraq, Iran and the United States over the forthcoming months and years? Secondly, does the Minister agree that it is important for both the United States and Iran to desist from activities that upset and lead to distrust on the part of the other country?

Answer: My Lords, on the first question, the organisation of future meetings is, of course, for the parties concerned. However, Her Majesty’s Government would welcome any future contact between the three parties, because we believe that it is important to engage in dialogue and that it is the best way of bringing about a secure situation in Iraq. On the second question, we want all countries, be they neighbours or those active in Iraq, to desist from any actions that destabilise that country or the region itself.

Secondary information