§ 11. Mr. Andrew Dismore (Hendon)If he will make a statement on the current security situation in the Persian Gulf. [61348]
§ The Secretary of State for Defence (Mr. George Robertson)Saddam Hussein remains the greatest threat to security in the Gulf. We strongly support the efforts of UNSCOM and the International Atomic Energy Agency to root out and destroy his nuclear, biological and 13 chemical weapons capabilities and to establish effective monitoring regimes. The willingness of the United States and the United Kingdom to take military action three weeks ago was instrumental in persuading Saddam to rescind his earlier decision to cease all co-operation with UNSCOM. Our forces remain in the Gulf and we are ready to order them into action again if Saddam reneges on his promise of full co-operation.
§ Mr. DismoreI congratulate my right hon. Friend on his resolve in standing up to the brutal dictatorship in Iraq, but does he agree that Iraqi non-compliance with UN inspectors has nothing whatsoever to do with Israel, as has been suggested in some parts of the Arab world and indeed some parts of the House? Is he aware that, every time Saddam defies the UN, Israel has to distribute gas masks to its citizens because of the risk of chemical weapons? Does my right hon. Friend agree that dictators such as Saddam and Milosevic in Kosovo take diplomacy seriously only when it is backed by the real threat of the use of force?
§ Mr. RobertsonMy hon. Friend is absolutely right that the likes of Saddam seem capable of recognising the will of the international community only if it is backed up by the credible use of military force. That is why our troops remain ready and willing to act if he will not comply and co-operate with the UNSCOM inspectorate. He has been warned, and I warn him again that there will be no warning the next time if co-operation is not guaranteed. Saddam's non-compliance with the United Nations and his non-co-operation with the UNSCOM inspectors have everything to do with his ambition to dictate to his neighbours and eventually become the major force in that region. We intend to make sure that that ambition is thwarted.
§ Mr. John Wilkinson (Ruislip-Northwood)Since the threat of force some three weeks ago was rescinded, has UNSCOM made real progress in securing access to the most highly classified and sensitive sites for nuclear and biological weapons and weapons of mass destruction in Iraq? Is it the right hon. Gentleman's view that the Tornado squadron in Kuwait will have to stay there over Christmas and into the new year, for ever and for aye, because, seemingly, Saddam Hussein enjoys sovereign immunity?
§ Mr. RobertsonSaddam's failure to produce certain key documents has not been a good start after he claimed to be willing to co-operate with the UNSCOM inspectorate. We are watching his actions day to day and will make a judgment based on his performance. The UNSCOM inspectorate is building up to full strength and will, I should think, undertake a number of key investigations in the next few weeks. The rest of the world will watch carefully to see whether Saddam is willing to comply with the undertakings that he gave three weeks ago in the face of overwhelming force; our judgment on that will be swift and will involve no warnings to him.
In the meantime, the RAF Tornados based in Ali al Salem in Kuwait, which were visited yesterday by the Chief of the Defence Staff, General Guthrie, will remain on alert, ready and willing to back up with the threat of force the international community's will. They will remain there over Christmas, which will be a sacrifice for 14 the service men and for their families; but the outstanding contribution of all our forces in all the different theatres of operations in which they are engaged is a matter of great pride to me and, I believe, to the country.
§ Mr. Dale Campbell-Savours (Workington)Have there been discussions between United Kingdom Defence Ministers and American defence officials about support for the creation in the Basra enclave, in the south of Iraq, of a liberated area that is sanctions free?
§ Mr. RobertsonThe short answer is no. My ministerial colleagues in the Foreign Office have met members of the external opposition to Saddam Hussein's regime to make it absolutely clear to people in Iraq that there would be a better world for them if Saddam Hussein were not the dictator in Baghdad. We will continue to give that message loudly and clearly to the Iraqi people, with whom we have no quarrel. We will redouble all our efforts to ensure that they get the message that humanitarian aid from this country and the international community is available, that they are deprived of much of it by the dictator in Baghdad and that the sooner his reign of terror ends, the better it will be for all of them.
§ Mr. Julian Brazier (Canterbury)The Secretary of State has admitted that Saddam Hussein is effectively ignoring the west's wishes. How much longer will we huff and puff? Is it not time, before we say any more on the subject, for us to sit down quietly with the Americans and such other allies as we have to decide what options are really open to us?
§ Mr. RobertsonI did not say that Saddam was effectively ignoring the United Nations; I said that, in certain respects, the disclosure of documents was not satisfactory. The UNSCOM inspectors are back and are continuing their investigations; some documents have been handed over. The hon. Gentleman would not expect me to tell the House or the wider world what judgment we will make or the criteria on which we will judge his co-operation with the UNSCOM inspectorate, but we will judge whether he is genuinely co-operating and whether he is genuinely interested in complying with the Security Council resolutions. We will make difficult decisions based on the outcome of that consideration.