Written question asked by Andrew Mackinlay (Labour) on Friday, 8 October 1999, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 19 October 1999. It was answered by Lord Hain (Labour) on Tuesday, 19 October 1999 on behalf of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations were made, by which (a) Ministers and (b) officials, to the Holy See about the Pope's planned visit to Iraq.

Answer: Mr. Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations were made, by which (a) Ministers and (b) officials, to the Holy See about the Pope's planned visit to Iraq. [94360] Mr. Hain: Ministers have not made any representations. Foreign Office officials have discussed the proposed Papal visit to Iraq with officials from the Holy See. We have expressed concern that the visit will be manipulated by the Iraqi government for propaganda purposes and represented as evidence of Papal support for Saddam Hussein's regime and its policies.

Secondary information