Commission defies attacks to open office in Baghdad

By Andrew Beatty

Date: 07/07/05

The European Commission has said it will go ahead with plans to open a representation in Baghdad, despite a spate of attacks on foreign diplomats in the Iraqi capital this week.

Following the kidnapping of Egyptian ambassador-designate Ihab al-Sherif, External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner said the Commission would "continue preparations to open a delegation office in the coming months".

But two subsequent attacks on Bahraini envoy Muhammad Yunis Khan and his Pakistani counterpart Hassan Malallah al-Ansari prompted further questions about the security situation in the capital and the EU's plans to open a delegation there.

Even supporters of the plan now acknowledge that the security situation could cause delays: "I do think that there is an important security consideration," said Greek MEP Giorgos Dimitrakopoulos.

Dimitrakopoulos, a supporter of the plan and author of a Parliamentary report on Iraq, said that even with the backing of all Commissioners, the attacks could now make setting up the delegation within the next couple of months unlikely.

"With the support of the college [of commissioners] it could be the end of the year before someone is appointed, for the first people to go there it may take a little longer", he said. "It might take a little more courage for those who go there."

It is thought that the delegation would come under the protection of the British embassy in Baghdad.

Plans to establish a permanent Commission presence in Baghdad are part of a series of EU proposals to become more involved in helping restore order to the country.

In recent weeks the EU appears to have been gearing up to play a major role in assisting Iraq's government in drawing up a new constitution.

But with the constitution scheduled to be put to a popular vote on 15 October the attacks, seen by many as a warning to the international community against normalising relations with the Baghdad-government, could limit the EU's ability to play a role on the ground.

Dimitrakopoulos said that an ad-hoc Parliamentary delegation would soon be set up to build ties with the Iraqi assembly.

He said that he hoped the delegation could travel to Iraq in September with a view to setting up a permanent Parliamentary delegation.

Both the Commission and the Parliament are expected to provide assistance and monitoring for general elections scheduled for December.

The European Commission announced that it would go ahead with plans to open a representation in Baghdad, despite a number of recent attacks on foreign diplomats in the Iraqi capital during July 2005.

EEAS: Iraq http://www.eeas.europa.eu/iraq/index_en.htm

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