HL Deb 23 March 1995 vol 562 cc1313-5

3.12 p.m.

Lord Molloy asked Her Majesty's Government:

What steps they are taking to assist the International Committee of the Red Cross in its efforts to secure the return from Iraq of Kuwaitis, including women and children, seized by Iraq during its occupation of Kuwait.

Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Chalker of Wallasey)

My Lords, we raise this issue at the United Nations at every suitable opportunity—most recently on 13th March. We have made clear to the Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister that the lack of progress is unacceptable. We will continue to play a role in the Tripartite Commission and its technical sub-committee set up last December to speed up the review of ICRC case files on the detainees.

Lord Molloy

My Lords, I thank the Minister for her Answer. Is the noble Baroness aware that the specialist committee in the Kuwait Assembly is very appreciative of the endeavours of the International Red Cross and especially of the British Parliament—that is, both Houses and all parties? The members of the committee know that that assistance will continue. However, pressure must be maintained so that the loved ones of those people who were taken away in such a brutal manner can be returned to their homes and to their families.

Baroness Chalker of Wallasey

My Lords, I am aware of that appreciation. However, it is always nice to receive from the noble Lord the thanks of the specialist committee in Kuwait. While the ICRC is the key organisation for dealing with detainees, we are watching most carefully how the committee is getting on. I shall be talking with the committee tomorrow in Geneva. I am glad to say that there are some signs, for example, by their attendance at the Tripartite Commission and initial responses on 127 files, that Iraq is perhaps beginning to co-operate. Let us hope that that process continues.

Lord Avebury

My Lords, I welcome everything that has being done on behalf of the Kuwaiti detainees. Will the Minister consider referring to the ICRC the question of 1 million Iraqis, allegedly of Persian ancestry, who were expelled to Iran between 1980–90 and of the representatives of those families who, according to the UN rapporteur, Max van der Stoel, have been detained ever since as hostages in southern Iraq?

Baroness Chalker of Wallasey

My Lords, I shall certainly look into what the noble Lord has said.

Lord Wright of Richmond

My Lords, can the Minister give an assurance that the Government continue to support the ICRC, not only in the very important work that it is carrying out in Iraq and Kuwait, but also in such so-called "forgotten areas" of the world, such as Afghanistan and Liberia?

Baroness Chalker of Wallasey

My Lords, I can give the noble Lord, Lord Wright of Richmond, that assurance. I shall discuss those very matters tomorrow.

Lord Rea

My Lords, I have a question which is peripheral to the one on the Order Paper but, nevertheless, relevant to it. Can the Minister throw any further light on newspaper reports which appeared today which seem to show that there has been a coup attempt in Iraq, and that the son of Saddam Hussein has been seriously wounded and is now in hospital in Amman, Jordan?

Baroness Chalker of Wallasey

My Lords, I can give no confirmation or denial about those reports at this time. But, needless to say, I am as interested as the noble Lord in the matter.

Lord Molloy

My Lords, is the Minister aware that there is a feeling in Kuwait that the pressure exerted by the International Red Cross and all supporting governments and Parliaments, including our own, is beginning to have an effect? Surely that pressure must be maintained. Ultimately, I feel sure that the free world will show that it cannot be treated in such a way by an evil dictator.

Baroness Chalker of Wallasey

My Lords, I thoroughly agree with the noble Lord.

Baroness Blackstone

My Lords, as Iraq has attended the last two meetings of the Tripartite Commission—something I believe that the UN special rapporteur on Iraq has very much welcomed as a new development—can the Minister tell the House whether Iraq was asked to give an explanation at those meetings about the continued imprisonment of 600 or more Kuwaitis? Further, are there any plans to put pressure on the Iraqis in the context of the commission meetings?

Baroness Chalker of Wallasey

My Lords, I cannot give the noble Baroness an exact answer; but I hardly think that such meetings would have taken place without those matters being raised. They are part of the work of the Tripartite Commission. Certainly, one of the things that has happened is that the Tripartite Commission has been successful in cutting away some of the procedural undergrowth. That is how the new technical sub-committee has been able to speed up its work. It means that the committee will be able to take account of things that previously it could not.