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Iraqi Kurdistan

Sir David Steel : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what support Her Majesty's Government will offer to the Kurdish Front Alliance in its preparations for the elections in Iraqi Kurdistan ; and what recognition Her Majesty's Government propose to give to the forthcoming elections in Iraqi Kurdistan and to their result.

Mr. Douglas Hogg : We have told Kurdish political leaders in Iraq that it is in their own interests to work together in opposing Saddam Hussein's repression and in bringing an end to the economic blockade which he has imposed on northern Iraq. We hope that regional elections will help achieve this.

We support the Kurds' aim of autonomy, not independence, within Iraq's existing borders. Kurdish leaders have told us that this is what they want.

Foreign Affairs Council

Mr. Dunn : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the outcome of the Foreign Affairs Council held on 11 and 12 May.

Mr. Hurd : My right hon. Friend the Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs and I represented the United Kingdom at the Foreign Affairs Council on 11 May.

The Council continued its discussion of the Commission's future financing package for 1993-97, focusing in particular on the Commission's expenditure proposals. It also discussed immigration policy and the related issue of internal frontier controls. I reiterated Her Majesty's Government's position that the UK does not agree that article 8a requires the abolition of all frontier controls on people at the Community's internal frontiers.

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