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Ministry of Defence

Answer

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what arrangements have been put in place in the southern sector of Iraq under British control to secure (a) state assets and (b) archaeological sites; and what discussions he has had with (i) his United States counterpart and (ii) the Administrator of the Coalition Provisional Authority on the lessons learned from securing sites and assets, including ministries, in the United States-controlled sector. [151972] Mr. Ingram: Initially, coalition forces were committed to securing and protecting a wide variety of key cultural and public assets and sites across Iraq. However, as Iraqi authorities have steadily regained capability, they have taken on increasing responsibility for securing and protecting their own assets and sites (administrative, economic and cultural). While coalition forces remain on hand to assist and support those elements of the Iraqi Security Forces involved in this work, the day-to-day security of these assets and sites is now, as it should be, in the hands of Iraqis. In the course of discussions with my US counterpart and the CPA, we keep arrangements for the security and protection of key cultural and public assets under review.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

151972; 418 c597W;418 c617W

Session

2003-04

Subjects

Assets Archaeological sites Iraq Peacekeeping operations Security USA

Link

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