Iraq-Iran War (Hansard, 4 March 1985)

§ Lord Molloy
My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question standing in my name on the Order Paper.

§ Lord Trefgarne
My Lords, the European Community continues to call for an early end to this tragic conflict. We have supported these efforts and those of the United Nations Secretary-General, who has been involved in a number of initiatives. On 9th June 1984, he appealed to both sides to cease attacks on civilian targets. Both sides accepted, and this agreement has largely been adhered to. The Secretary-General has also called on both sides to refrain from using chemical weapons and to cease attacks on shipping in the Gulf. We shall continue to support all realistic initiatives.

§ Lord Molloy
My Lords, that comprehensive reply is most appreciated. I acknowledge that to a degree both the United Nations and the EEC have endeavoured to follow the British lead. Would the noble Lord agree that the British Foreign Secretary has given a magnificent lead in all matters involving the Middle East, and particularly in this dreadful conflict? He has pointed out the dangers which can afflict the rest of mankind. In so far as he has given the lead, and in so far as Britain has supported both the EEC and the United Nations in its formative ideas, is it not now about time that these two organisations followed up the submissions of the British Foreign Secretary, which have been both realistic and imaginative?

§ Lord Trefgarne
My Lords, I think that the best way for progress to he achieved in this matter is for the parties to this dispute, the Iranians and Iraqis, to accept some of the offers of mediation which have been made. Most recently, of course, there were the Japanese proposals, which came before the General Assembly in September last year, which we believe to be both balanced and well conceived.

§ Lord Shinwell
My Lords, as a matter of information, can the noble Lord the Minister inform your Lordships' House what kind of pressure Her Majesty's Government could exercise over Iraq, which is completely under Soviet control in the first instance, and over Iran, which is under her own control and will not allow anybody else to interfere? Why do we not mind our own business occasionally? Have we not got enough on our plates without interfering in matters which, from the standpoint of exercising human rights I fully applaud, but otherwise over which we have no influence whatever?

§ Lord Trefgarne
My Lords, I think that the noble Lord is right to suggest that our influence in these matters is somewhat limited. Nonetheless, it is an appalling conflict and we should like to do what we can to bring it to an end.

§ Lord Cledwyn of Penrhos
My Lords, has the noble Lord read the United Nations report on the appalling treatment of prisoners of war on both sides? Can he say what action Her Majesty's Government propose to take about that? Would it not be worth considering putting an embargo on any financial credit we give to either Iraq or Iran? Is the noble Lord in a position to say what use was made by Iraq of the credit of allegedly £575 million given by the Government to that country?

§ Lord Trefgarne
My Lords, so far as prisoners of war are concerned, it is quite right that a report on that matter has been prepared under the Secretary-General's auspices. I understand that it is being considered by the Security Council this very day, and I hope that some constructive proposals will come out of that. We certainly support action being taken in the Security Council in that regard. We believe that any resolution should concentrate on the report itself, not on the wider issues of the conflict. On the question of trade with both countries, I think that my noble friend Lady Young wrote to the noble Lord on this recently and I do not think that I can add anything to that letter.

§ Lord Nugent of Guildford
My Lords, with regard to our interest in this long-running and very unpleasant war, do we not also have an interest in maintaining the safety of oil shipping in the Gulf, where we have, certainly with our partners, a substantial interest?

§ Lord Trefgarne
My Lords, my noble friend is quite right about that. There have been a number of regrettable incidents in the Gulf recently with regard to shipping. Indeed, the safety of shipping was one of the matters addressed by the Japanese proposals which came before the General Assembly recently and to which I referred a moment ago.

§ Lord Molloy
My Lords, does the noble Lord the Minister agree that the British Government realises the enormous amount of trade and commerce which goes on in the Gulf between our country and the Gulf States, and that if it were shattered, it could cause an increase of almost another 20 per cent. in British unemployment? At the same time the Government have not ignored the human horror and tragedy of the war. Finally, will the noble Lord confirm that the British Foreign Secretary's proposals for cutting out some of the horrendous actions, such as the bombing of cities, have been accepted by Iraq but not by Iran, and that this is the lead that the British are giving—a lead which I hope the noble Lord will urge the EEC, the Americans and the United Nations to follow?

§ Lord Trefgarne
My Lords, I am grateful to the noble Lord for his appreciative words on British Government policy.

§ Lord Mayhew
My Lords, is the noble Lord aware that, whereas everyone will regret the failure of repeated peace initiatives, the present deadlock is at least a considerable improvement on what went before?

§ Lord Trefgarne
My Lords, any situation which results in a reduction in the numbers of people being killed or maimed is to be regarded as satisfactory; but, taking the wider view, the continuation of this dispute cannot in the least be regarded as satisfactory, and I hope that it can swiftly be brought to an end.