Iraq (Hansard, 10 March 1998)

§ 8. Mr. Ian Taylor
If he will make a statement on the role played by the EU presidency in the negotiations over the situation in Iraq. [31802]

§ Mr. Robin Cook
As we have the presidency of the European Union, Britain has maintained close contact with our partners throughout the crisis. In early February, I chaired a special meeting of the General Affairs Council on Iraq. On the weekend of the Secretary-General's visit to Baghdad, the General Affairs Council agreed a policy statement that welcomed the outcome, insisted that Iraq comply with Security Council resolutions and noted that the international community had needed to show firm resolve to achieve agreement.
My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister spoke in person or by telephone to the Heads of Government of many other European member states and all the major nations. In New York, the United Kingdom worked closely with Sweden and Portugal, which are currently members of the Security Council, in co-sponsoring the resolution that more than doubles the oil-for-food programme.

§ Mr. Taylor
Although the Foreign Secretary finds close proximity with Madeleine Albright exhilarating and, over the Iraq affair, there was absolutely no doubt that our interests and those of the United States were very much in harmony, will he recognise that that will not always be the case? What practical steps is he taking to ensure moves to more effective common European foreign policy? In what aspects will that be likely to be deployed during the EU presidency and immediately thereafter?

§ Mr. Cook
I am not sure that exhilarating is quite the word that I would choose to describe it, but it is a great asset for Britain that the two Foreign Secretaries work closely together and often share each other's thinking.
On the wider question of common foreign and security policy, during the short period of our presidency we have already demonstrated large agreement in taking forward initiatives. For instance, we now have a new common position on Iran, and I hope that on the basis of that common position in Europe we shall be able to bridge some of the transatlantic gulf. We also acted speedily to find both a foreign and a domestic response to the emigration of Kurdish refugees from Turkey and Iraq. We took a quick initiative in relation to Algeria. The Minister of State, my hon. Friend the Member for Leeds, Central (Mr. Fatchett), led a troika to Algeria and, over the past week, we have been working hard to ensure that Europe is in the lead in response to the current crisis in Kosovo. I shall discuss all those issues and others with my Foreign Minister colleagues when I welcome them to my home town of Edinburgh at the weekend.

§ Mr. Winnick
Do our EU partners fully accept that if the Iraqi regime breaks the agreement which, fortunately, has been reached, there will be most serious consequences, as stated in the latest United Nations Security Council resolution, and the most serious consequences will mean precisely that—there will be no second chance?
307 Will my right hon. Friend consider further the possibility of humanitarian relief to the first victims of that criminal regime—the civilians? Is there any possibility of aid being flown in, albeit only on the basis that we are satisfied that it will be used for civilians, particularly children, who are undoubtedly suffering—not from sanctions, but from the Iraqi Government's policy?

§ Mr. Cook
I can confirm that the resolution that we drafted and presented to the Security Council makes it clear that if Iraq breaks the agreement there will be the severest consequences. We resisted attempts to produce a lesser phrase.
My hon. Friend raises an important issue that we must now address: the humanitarian needs of the people of Iraq. In my speech last Thursday I set out our intention as presidency of the European Union to convene a meeting with the European nations, some leaders of the Arab world and non-governmental organisations to work out how we can make best use of the doubling of the oil-for-food programme that we have steered through the United Nations. It is not enough to ensure that that money is not mis-spent; we must ensure that it is spent properly. If Saddam Hussein blocks our initiative to bring medicine, food and humanitarian relief to his people, it will be clear to all the world that it is not the west or the international community but Saddam who is responsible for their suffering.

§ Mr. Howard
Is not the simple truth that there was no agreement in the EU about the nature of action to be taken on Iraq and that contrary to the question just asked by the hon. Member for Walsall, North (Mr. Winnick), France revealed in the discussions at the Security Council an interpretation of the resolution that differed sharply from that of the UK Government? Why does not the Foreign Secretary say in a straightforward manner that there was no agreement in the EU on that, instead of indulging in self-satisfied waffle?

§ Mr. Cook
If the right hon. and learned Gentleman is genuine about putting pressure on Iraq and wants Saddam Hussein to listen to the international community, it might be responsible for him to tell Saddam Hussein and the House the self-evident truth that the great majority of members of the EU shared Britain's position and that when Kofi Annan went to Baghdad he went with the agreement of all five permanent members. The right hon. and learned Gentleman undermines the efforts of the international community when he tries to suggest that there are deep divisions.

§ Mr. Dalyell
Does my right hon. Friend's answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Walsall, North (Mr. Winnick) mean that he rejects the view of the Chinese ambassador to the United Nations, that in no way does the Kofi Annan agreement give authority for Anglo-American—

§ Mr. Winnick
It does.

§ Mr. Dalyell
My hon. Friend is very sure that it does; I am just asking the question. Does it give authority for Anglo-American military action without going back yet again to the Security Council?

§ Mr. Cook
I would say gently to my hon. Friend that when we want legal advice we may look elsewhere than to 308 the Chinese ambassador at the United Nations. He himself voted for the resolution, which is explicit: if Iraq breaks the agreement, there will be the severest consequences.