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Protocol protects US interests in Iraq Inquiry, says UK

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

London, Dec 16, IRNA -- US interests in Britain’s inquiry into the Iraq war are protected by an agreed protocol on the provision and publication of information, according to Defence Secretary Liam Fox.

“There are no additional measures - and none specifically related to the United States,” Fox said in a written parliamentary reply published Thursday.

Extracts of secret US cables revealed by WikiLeaks said that the British government promised to protect America's interests ahead of last year’s opening of the inquiry into the Iraq war.

The Ministry of Defence's director general for security policy, Jon Day, told US under-secretary of state Ellen Tauscher the UK had 'put measures in place to protect your interests during the UK inquiry” but no mention was made on how this was achieved.

Questioned in parliament, Fox referred to the protocol agreed between UK government and the Iraq inquiry regarding “documents and other written and electronic information that provides for certain categories of sensitive information to be protected.”

Under its provisions, no information may be withheld from the inquiry, “with the exception of information HMG (her Majesty’s Government) holds which is covered by an existing duty of confidentiality HMG has to a third party” prevents disclosure.

In such cases, the government said it would urgently seek permission from the third party to share the information with the inquiry, but nothing is mentioned if the permission is refused.

There are also safeguards to prevent the publication of the information that is deemed to cause harm or damage to national interests on the basis of international relations and whether it would breach security service rules applying to disclosure.

While those in the inquiry team are covered by the Official Secrets Act, the government in any event has the right to vet any information to be published and the inquiry is open to refer in its report if any material has been withheld.

The on-going inquiry is known so far to have refused permission to publish letters between former US president George Bush and former British prime minister Tony Blair written in 2002 in the run-up to the war, even though they have been referred to in evidence.