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Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Answer

Mr. Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will urge the UN Security Council to take steps to deploy human rights monitors throughout Iraq in line with General Assembly resolution 57/232 of December 2002. [133001] Mr. Rammell: The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) appealed in May for an initial US$1.5 million for the provision of Human Rights Officers in Iraq. The UK agreed to allocate £400,000 (US$650,000) towards the OHCHR's request, to fund 60 per cent. of the immediate start-up costs of deploying Human Rights Officers and supporting their work. Following the terrorist attack on the United Nations Headquarters in Baghdad on 19 August 2003, the UN's efforts in Iraq have inevitably been scaled back, and the five human rights monitors were withdrawn with other international staff. The majority are now deployed in the region or in Geneva and New York and working on Iraq-related human rights issues. We are in discussion with the UN on the security measures needed to ensure that the UN is able to strengthen its vital role in Iraq.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

133001; 412 c659W;412 (Not in Bound Volume)

Session

2002-03

Subjects

Human rights International assistance Iraq Monitoring Staff UN Commission on Human Rights