Written question asked by John Bercow (Conservative) on Tuesday, 7 September 2004, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 4 October 2004. It was answered by Adam Ingram (Labour) on Monday, 4 October 2004 on behalf of the Ministry of Defence.

Ministry of Defence

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what plans he has to make a separate status of forces agreement with the Iraqi Government.

Answer: Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to make a separate status of forces agreement with the Iraqi Government. [188317] Mr. Ingram: There are no plans at the present time to make a separate status of forces agreement with the Iraqi Government. Under Article 59 of the Transitional Administrative Law (the law for the administration of Iraq during the transition period--promulgated by the Iraqi Governing Council in March 2004), the Iraqi Interim Government has no powers to conclude any binding international agreements, which would include status of forces agreements. This power will belong to the elected Transitional Government. Until the Transitional Government is in place, Coalition Provisional Authority Order 17 covers the terms of the MNF presence in Iraq, and includes those areas which would normally be covered in a status of forces agreement.

Secondary information