Britain restarts boarding Gulf ships following Iran stand-off

Britain restarts boarding Gulf ships following Iran stand-off

	Published : Tue, 24 Apr 2007 16:19 By : Agencies Print this Story

LONDON (Thomson Financial) - Britain's Royal Navy is to resume boarding operations in the northern Gulf that were suspended following the capture of 15 personnel by Iranian forces, UK Defence Secretary Des Browne announced Tuesday.

The Royal Navy has a United Nations mandate to patrol Iraqi territorial waters to protect the strife-torn country's ports and oil installations.

'Pending the results of the inquiries set up to identify any lessons we can learn from this incident, we have taken measures, in line with the findings of the initial reviews of procedures, to ensure the risk to boarding operations is minimised,' Browne said in a written statement to parliament's lower House of Commons.

'This will involve an incremental return to full boarding operations in all areas.'

Anti-smuggling operations were regularly carried out before the capture but were confirmed on April 6 as having been suspended.

Fifteen Royal Navy and Royal Marines personnel were seized at gunpoint by Iranian Revolutionary Guards after boarding a merchant vessel on March 23. They were held for 13 days and returned home on April 5.

Britain insists they were well within Iraqi waters when captured, which Iran disputes.

The sailors were given permission to sell their stories to the media, an unpopular decision which Browne has since apologised for amid a fierce political storm.

Liam Fox, defence spokesman for the main opposition Conservatives, welcomed the news.

However, he said the cessation of boarding parties 'sent out completely the wrong message and smacked of a lack of resolve' on Britain's part.

'Protecting Iraq's oil infrastructure and the searching of merchant vessels to stem the smuggling of illegal weapons into Iraq has to be one of our key priorities.'

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