International

Asylum-seekers from central and southern Iraq will not as things stand be sent back to their country of origin. These regions are so unsafe that refugees haling from them will qualify for protection.

Parliament tonight expressed its agreement with a motion presented by the SP's Jan de Wit demanding that this group of Iraqis be classed as in need of protection. The motion won a majority as the result of the support of the two other left-of-centre parties as well as both small Christian groups.

The Netherlands has, since the beginning of the year, ceased to offer automatic protection to asylum seekers from Iraq. “That was unjust,” said Mr de Wit. "Foreign Minister Ben Bot has even admitted that the security situation in Iraq 'is of great concern' and the UN's refugee organisation has called on us not to send people refused asylum back to these areas. I'm pleased that we are now not going to return people to regions ravaged by violence."