Michael de Laine

By Michael de Laine, The Copenhagen Voice, 26 May 2009

According to a news report on Danish public broadcaster DR’s P3 radio channel this morning, the Danish government put pressure on Iraq to accept the return of failed asylum-seekers from Denmark by threatening to shut the door on cash support to Iraq.

That is the essence of an answer given by Integration Minister Birthe Rønn Hornbech to the Danish parliament, the report said.

The answer was given just a few hours before the minister was to appear before the parliamentary immigration and integration affairs committee, which held an open meeting on the Iraqi asylum-seekers who have been living at Brorson’s Church in Copenhagen’s Nørrebro district for the past couple of weeks.

In her answer, Birthe Rønn Hornbech stated that Denmark has “made it clear” that an agreement on the asylum-seekers is “a vital element in the overall Danish-Iraqi relationship, including also a continuation of the development aid collaboration”.

Johanne Schmidt-Nielsen, integration affairs spokesperson for the Red/Greens, told P3 News that this can only be read in one way.

“The agreement with Iraq was reached using blackmail,” Johanne Schmidt Nielsen said. “They have not given the Iraqis any option but to say yes to the agreement, even if they cannot guarantee the asylum-seekers’ safety.”

Click here to read the transcription of the P3 News report.

Click here the read the text of the agreement between Denmark and Iraq on repatriation of asylum-seekers.