Iraq-Kuwait Observation Mission (Hansard, 2 May 1991)

§ Lord Reay
My Lords, the United Kingdom contingent of the observer force of the United Nations Iraq-Kuwait observation mission arrived in Kuwait during the week of 15th April.

Lord Campbell of Croy
My Lords, I thank my noble friend for his Answer. I am sure that the good wishes of all of us go to members of this force as they take up their duties in the next few days. If they discover infringements of the cease-fire terms, do they have discretion to take any action on the spot or are they restricted to reporting to a United Nations headquarters?

§ Lord Reay
My Lords, the role of UNIKOM will be to monitor the demilitarised zone established along the Iraq-Kuwait border, to deter by its presence violations of the boundary and to observe and report to the United Nations Secretary General any hostile or potentially hostile action.

§ Lord Cledwyn of Penrhos
My Lords, what is the size of the United Nations force on the Iraq-Kuwait border? Given that Her Majesty's Government are proposing a United Nations police force, can he tell the House what is the difference between a United Nations force and a United Nations police force?

§ Lord Reay
My Lords, the observation mission comprises a force of 300 observers which is drawn from a wide range of countries, including the Soviet Union, China, the United States and France. It is the first time that a United Nations observer force has included contributions from all those countries together. The noble Lord asked about a United Nations police force. This is a proposal for northern Iraq which we have made to the United Nations Secretary General.

§ Lord Cledwyn of Penrhos
My Lords, I am very much obliged to the noble Lord. I was seeking to find out the difference between the United Nations force which is currently on the Iraq-Kuwait border and a United Nations police force as proposed by the Government.

§ Lord Reay
My Lords, the UNIKOM force was established under Security Council Resolution 687 which was passed on 3rd April. It called upon the Secretary General to establish an observer unit to monitor the demilitarised zone. The proposal for a United Nations police force which we have made to the Secretary General has so far only been discussed informally by the ambassadors of the Permanent Five whose governments are now considering the matter further.

§ Lord Mayhew
My Lords, when the Minister speaks of the observer force of 300 men, presumably that does not include the protection force for the observer force of infantry and field engineers. Can he say whether they are now operational and, if they are not, when they will be? Further, can he say when the last American troops will leave the area?

§ Lord Reay
My Lords, the noble Lord is quite right in what: he first said. UNIKOM will be unarmed but it will be escorted by a United Nations infantry force of five infantry companies drawn from existing UN peace-keeping operations to provide security during the setting up phase. So far as concerns the withdrawal of forces from the demilitarised zone, all forces, including United States' troops, are planned to be withdrawn when UNIKOM takes over on 6th May.

§ Lord Bonham-Carter
My Lords, can the Minister tell the House what assistance the United Nations observer and protection forces are receiving from the Kuwaiti Government in carrying out their duties?

§ Lord Reay
My Lords, I am not sure that I have any particular information to give in answer to that question. Plainly the arrangements could not operate if the Kuwaiti Government were hostile to them.

§ Lord Bonham-Carter
My Lords, is it honestly the case that we are receiving no financial or other assistance other than passive assent in respect of this operation, which is, after all, very important to the Kuwait Government; indeed, the whole operation was mounted in order to help them? Are we really saying that they are doing absolutely nothing to assist in the consequences of the action which we took, to some extent, on their behalf?

§ Lord Reay
My Lords, I did not say that the Kuwaiti Government would do nothing to assist. This is a United Nations operation which is responsible to the UN and conducted under the terms of a UN resolution.

§ Lord Elton
My Lords, given the fact that five infantry companies do not amount to a very formidable force, are there contingency plans for reinforcement should breaches of the agreement occur on a serious scale?

§ Lord Reay
My Lords, I am not aware of any plans for reinforcements; plainly this would be a matter for the Secretary General of the United Nations.

§ Lord Mackie of Benshie
My Lords, in the circumstances, would it not be wise to delay the return of the forces that are already in the area until we are sure that: the arrangement is working?

§ Lord Reay
My Lords, I can speak only for our own forces. No decision has been taken on the timing of the withdrawal of the United Kingdom battle group, which is not present in the demilitarised zone but in Kuwait. That is a decision which is kept under close review a Id one which will be taken in the light of all the circumstances.