London (KDC) By Mia Early -A debate in Westminster on Tuesday initiated by Bob Spink MP (Cons) as a report on his recent trip to the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.

Thereafter there was a response from
The Minister for Europe (Mr. Douglas Alexander):

I thank the hon. Member for Castle Point (Bob Spink) for raising this important subject, and for the update he gave on the situation of the Chaldo-Assyrians in northern Iraq. Such first-hand, objective accounts help us to assess progress in our commitment to stand by the Iraqi people as they work towards securing a democratic and stable future.

There is still an enormous amount of work to be done by the international community and Iraqi leaders to ensure that Iraq makes a successful transition from being a country blighted by over 35 years of Ba'athist oppression to one which can regain its rightful place in the international community. A founding member of the United Nations, Iraq needs the help of its neighbours, the region and the donor community to get back on its feet.

Northern Iraq is no exception. Saddam Hussein and his regime inflicted immense hardship and suffering on all the peoples of the north-the Arabs, Kurds, Turkomans, Christians and others. However, as the hon. Gentleman generously recognised, the protection afforded by the no-fly zone enabled northern Iraq to move forward. Since the fall of Saddam's regime, that progress has accelerated.

In security terms, the northern provinces of Dohuk, Irbil and Sulaymaniyah are among the quietest in the country. Incidents in the north are, in general, less severe and far fewer than in other parts of the country. That is not to say that those areas have been spared terrorist attacks. We have received reports today of a car bomb in Sulaymaniyah, which has caused casualties. That is just the latest example of terrorists attempting to derail the political process. Through the multinational forces, we will continue to support the Iraqi security forces in their courageous efforts to defeat all forms of terrorism in their country.

The north's economy continues to develop, as the KRG gradually builds critical infrastructure. There are signs of progress everywhere, the most obvious being the recent opening of airports in Irbil and Sulaymaniyah. The KRG is keen to draw on external expertise to lay solid foundations for the region's future economic growth. Its immediate priority is to develop the agriculture, tourism and manufacturing sectors using local skills, and to expand internal markets so that the economy is less dependent on external markets.

The people of northern Iraq are equally committed to strengthening the political process in the region. They turned out in huge numbers for the January elections, and did so again for the referendum on Iraq's draft constitution. Our consul in Kirkuk had the opportunity to observe voting at a polling station on 15 October. He reported that the voting process took place peacefully.

The fact that nearly 10 million Iraqis nationwide took part in the referendum is eloquent testimony to their determination to exercise their democratic right and to decide the political future of their country. Whatever the result turns out to be-there have been indications of the result this morning-that is a major achievement. It is democracy in action. As Prime Minister Jaafari said, whether Iraqis

"vote yes or no is not the point. The victory for Iraq is that they are voting."

What is important now is that all Iraqis participate fully in the political process to ensure that Iraq's Parliament and Government are genuinely representative of all the peoples of Iraq. The UK has provided funds for outreach programmes that set out the political options available, help to explain to the Iraqi electorate the importance of the draft constitution, and broaden understanding of the content. The programmes will focus on explaining the electoral system for the December elections.

Unlike last January's elections, in which Iraq was treated as a single constituency, the December elections will be conducted on a province-by-province basis. The Department for International Development is supporting the Independent Electoral Commission of Iraq's public outreach programme to encourage civil society organisations, particularly at province level, to get involved in the electoral process.

Kirkuk is a good example of why political participation, dialogue, compromise and consensus are critical if Iraq's transition is to succeed. The city brings together several communities within its boundaries. The majority of citizens are Sunni Muslims, but Kirkuk also has a sizeable community of Christians and a small Yezidi community. Iraq's leaders will therefore need commitment and determination to find a solution to the legacy of Saddam's policy of forced Arabisation of Kirkuk. They have agreed to set up a committee that will work towards finding a permanent solution on that difficult and sensitive issue. We will continue to encourage them in their endeavours, and we will continue to encourage and urge all minority groups in Iraq to take part in the political process. The UK Government maintain a close, open dialogue with leaders and representatives of such groups.

The hon. Gentleman made specific reference to the situation facing the Chaldo-Assyrians. Foreign Office officials in London met Mr. Yonadam Kanna, secretary-general of the Assyrian Democratic Movement, during his visit to the UK last week. His primary concern is that the rights of Chaldo-Assyrians be protected. He recognises that the Chaldo-Assyrian community must participate fully in the December elections if it is to be represented in the next Iraqi Parliament. Equally, Chaldo-Assyrian leaders will need to agree a common approach and to identify like-minded political allies in the next Parliament if they are to advance and to protect the rights of all Chaldo-Assyrians. Making such alliances is a key part of parliamentary politics and, of course, would have been unthinkable under Saddam's regime.

Our aim is to help all Iraqis to create a nation where all Iraq's citizens are safe throughout the country, irrespective of race or religious belief. National unity is key to securing long-term stability and prosperity in Iraq. In the transitional process so far, we have seen important symbols of that unity at work. The appointment of an Iraqi Kurd as President of Iraq is a powerful and eloquent signal that the political process can, and does, support the appointment of a non-Arab to high office. President Talabani has used his position to send out a consistent message that Iraqis should come together to support the transitional process. There may be deep disagreement about the way forward; that is too often what politics is about. However, for the vast majority of Iraqis, the only way forward is through peaceful, participative politics.

We have been encouraging the Iraqi Transitional Government to include all Iraq's communities in the political process. Chaldo-Assyrians, Turkomans, Yezidis and Mandaeans all had representatives on the Constitutional Commission. Those representatives were tasked with ensuring that the views of their communities were included in the draft.

I commend the draft constitution to the House. It reflects the multifaceted religious and ethnic make-up of Iraq and offers guarantees of full freedom of religious belief and practice to all individuals. It prohibits discrimination on racist, ethnic, religious or any other grounds, and it protects minority languages. The draft constitution strives to strike a balance between a wide range of views. The final draft text illustrates the extent to which, in the end, all parties were prepared to compromise.

Should the constitution pass at referendum-it seems to be emerging today that it will be passed-that, of course, will not be the end of the process. The text will not be set in stone. A review mechanism has been included in the draft. That will see the establishment of a constitution committee, which the constitutional draft stated will be made up from