HL Deb 15 April 1991 vol 527 c78WA
Lord Kennet

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether it is their view that there should be no international agreement, but only self-imposed restraint, over the export of weapons other than "weapons of mass destruction" to the Middle East; and whether the suggested destruction of all Iraqi "weapons of mass destruction" (i.e., the chemical and biological weapons still in Iraq's possession), as part of the permanent cease-fire, is to be in lieu of a general ban on all "weapons of mass destruction" (i.e., including nuclear weapons), throughout the area, as proposed by Saddam Hussein, Hosni Mubarak and Yitzhak Shamir.

The Earl of Caithness:

We have made clear our intention to seek international restraint in supplies of advanced weapons to the Middle East. To be effective, any such restraint will require the co-operation of major arms exporting countries. Security Council Resolution 687, which provides for the elimination of Iraqi missiles and weapons of mass destruction, also makes explicit reference to the need to work towards the establishment of a zone in the Middle East free of all such weapons.