§ 2.57 p.m.
§ The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government whether, in view of the torturing of Israeli prisoners of war by the Syrians, they will take steps to deal with this under the provisions of the Third Geneva Convention relating to the treatment of prisoners of war; and whether they will take steps towards amending these provisions, if necessary, so as to deal more effectively with such breaches.
§ LORD SHEPHERDMy Lords, all four Geneva Conventions include provisions for a Protecting Power to oversee the enforcement of the Conventions. These provisions were not applied in recent conflicts in the Middle East. The strengthening of the Protecting Power system is one of Her Majesty's Government's prime concerns in their approach to the Geneva Diplomatic Conference on Humanitarian Law in Armed Conflict, which is due to meet again in February of next year.
LORD JANNERMy Lords, may I ask my noble friend whether he is aware that two Israeli prisoners of war died after torture; that many of them were maimed and received other injuries, and that men were shot at with blank fire as they were baling out of aeroplanes? Can we not do something in order to urge that these people should be brought to trial, and that some kind of international action should be taken in the matter? If we cannot, is it not essential to have the Convention altered so as to enable civilised people to intervene in these matters?
§ LORD SHEPHERDMy Lords, I am aware of allegations made by both sides in the Middle East conflict. We ourselves made representations to the Syrian authorities when we received news of the allegations which were made. We fulfilled our obligations as one of the contracting Powers to the four Geneva Conventions. I believe that, since the war is now over, it is far better to use all our influence and energy to improve 286 these Conventions, which we are now seeking to do at the Geneva Conference.