HC Deb 06 November 1980 vol 991 c629W
Mr. James Johnson

asked the Lord Privy Seal what steps have been taken by Her Majesty's Government in the United Nations following the appeal of the Eritrean People's Liberation Front to the United Nations on 6 June, both about the threat of lethal nerve gas being used by Ethiopia on the Eritreans and the continuing occupation of Eritrea, since they unilaterally abrogated the federation set up by the United Nations in 1950.

Sir Ian Gilmour

We have no independent evidence to support the allegations that Ethiopia threatened to use chemical weapons in Eritrea. The Ethiopian Government assured us in August that these allegations were entirely without foundation. Consequently, we do not consider that there are good grounds for raising the matter in the United Nations.

Since Eritrea is recognised internationally as an integral part of Ethiopia, there is no case for questioning this in the United Nations.

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