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Iraq: Security

Answer

Over the past two and a half years, responsibility for security in the 18 provinces of Iraq has been gradually transferred from the coalition to the Government of Iraq. The transfer of a province was based on a joint assessment, by the coalition and the Government of Iraq, of the security situation in each province and the capability of the Iraqi security forces based there. In the period May 2006 to October 2008, responsibility for the security of 13 of Iraq's 18 provinces was transferred to the Government of Iraq. Following the expiry of UNSCR 1790 on 31 December 2008, the Government of Iraq now lead in maintaining security throughout Iraq with multinational forces focused on training and supporting the Iraqi security forces in delivering this mission. Basra province was transferred to Iraqi control in December 2007 and since then UK forces have been training and assisting the Iraqi army, navy and marine units based there. As my right honourable friend the Prime Minister announced to the House of Commons on 18 December 2008 (Official Report, Commons, col. 1233) UK forces' remaining tasks in southern Iraq should be completed by 31 July 2009, following which we will move to a normalised bilateral defence relationship with Iraq. Responsibility for sustaining and building on the significant reductions in violence in Iraq since 2007 now rests, therefore, with the sovereign Iraqi Government. The UK will continue to provide active and wide-ranging support to the Government of Iraq's efforts, not only through direct military assistance as outlined above, but also through support in fields such as governance, regional diplomacy, economic development, and security and justice sector reform, all of which have a bearing on Iraq's future stability and security.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

406; 706 c199WA

Session

2008-09

Related items

Iraq
Thursday, 18 December 2008
Parliamentary proceedings
House of Commons

Subjects

Iraq Peacekeeping operations Politics and government Security Basra

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk