荷兰首相设立调查委员会决策伊拉克

　　Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende announced Monday that a committee will be set up to investigate the decision making process which led to the Dutch government's support for the invasion of Iraq by the United States and Britain in 2003.

　　The committee will be chaired by former Dutch Supreme Court president W. J. M. Davids, who can choose the other members. The committee may include one or more cabinet ministers, Balkenende said.

　　The committee will have access to all information it requires, including those of the intelligence, security and defense departments. Hearing of persons, but not under oath, will also be possible.www.examda.com

　　The committee should present its report by November 1, Balkenende said.

　　The prime minister's announcement followed a string of revelations last month by the Dutch media, which embarrassed the government and rekindled the debate about a possible parliamentary inquiry into the Dutch government's decision making on the Iraq war.

　　According to documents obtained by Dutch media, the Dutch government in 2003, under the then prime minister Balkenende, had planned to give military support to the invasion of Iraq but dropped the plan in the face of opposition from the Labor Party.

　　The Dutch government had previously insisted that it had never planned to give military support to the Iraq war.

　　It was also revealed that the lawyers of the Dutch Foreign Ministry had warned in 2003 that there was no proper legal basis for the Dutch government's political support for the invasion of Iraq. But the warning was ignored.

　　The Dutch government did not send troops but gave political support to the Iraq invasion, which was not authorized by the United Nations.

　　Dutch left-wing parties have in the past six years requested a parliamentary inquiry into the affair, but have never succeeded because Balkenende's ruling Christian Democrats vehemently opposed it.www.examda.com

　　On Monday, opposition parties in the Dutch parliament expressed disappointment at Balkenende's decision. Center-left D66 leader Alexander Pechtold said the committee inquiry would not be independent because the lower house of parliament cannot check the documents the committee gets to see. The D66 and the Green Left Party will continue to call for a parliamentary inquiry.