Minister urges greater UK role in rebuilding Iraq

The Minister for Trade, Investment and Foreign Affairs, Mike O'Brien, is expected to tell a conference on Iraq reconstruction in London that the UK must help Iraq become both democratic and prosperous.

Mr O'Brien will tell the 250 delegates at the UK Trade & Investment hosted conference that UK companies have much to offer in the essential reconstruction process.

In a statement prior to the event the Minister said: "In the months to come, our focus must shift to reconstruction. It will be vital to give back to the Iraqi people their natural resources, their wealth and their national pride.

"Iraq can still be a great economic success, given the chance. It is in Britain's and the international community's interest that we continue to help the Iraqi people to build a stable, democratic and prosperous Iraq. In the end, their stability is our stability. Their prosperity is our prosperity. Their democracy will be our security."

The Minister recently met key US officials in Washington to discuss the role of UK companies in Iraq and it is understood that following the awarding of the US main contracts earlier this year, UK companies stand to secure a proportion of any new contracts.

The conference, supported by UK Trade & Investment and organised by the Project Management Office (PMO), will outline PMO priorities and the tendering processes for awarding contracts for specific reconstruction work in Iraq.

The PMO was set up to coordinate the distribution of the $18.6 billion Supplemental Budget recently approved by the US Senate for reconstruction work in Iraq.

Today's London conference follows a similar event held in Washington earlier this week.

(SP)