---

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Answer

Mr. Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what (a) representations he has made to and (b) assurances he has received from the United States that, should they mount an operation to bring Fallujah under Iraqi Government control, there are plans in place to fulfil the Coalition's obligations to civilians affected by the operation under Article 16 of the Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in time of war; and if he will make a statement. [193481] Mr. Rammell: [holding answer 25 October 2004]: The UK and US are no longer occupying powers and therefore the 4th Geneva Convention does not apply. Nonetheless, the Multi-National Force (MNF) seeks at all times to minimise the impact of any military action on innocent civilians and, of course, to avoid civilian casualties. The bulk of their duty involves protecting civilians. In undertaking military operations the MNF and Iraq Security Forces aim to return areas of Iraq to Iraqi Interim Government control, providing a normal life to Iraqi civilians, thus creating better conditions for rapid progress on reconstruction and humanitarian efforts.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

425 c1253-4W;425 c1253W; 193481

Session

2003-04

Subjects

Civilians Geneva Conventions Iraq Peacekeeping operations Fallujah

Link

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