§ 26. Mr. WallaceTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what actions his Department intends to take in response to the recent use of chemical weapons in the Gulf war.
§ Mr. MellorWe abhor the use of chemical weapons by any country in contravention of the 1925 Geneva protocol. As far as the Iran/Iraq conflict is concerned, we have made our views abundantly clear to those concerned when chemical weapons have been used. We and our European Community colleagues issued a condemnatory statement on 24 March. More recently, on 29 March the Iraqi ambassador in London was told of the British Government's own condemnation of Iraqi use in Kurdistan in mid-March.
The Secretary General's investigative team has confirmed that chemical weapons were used then. We shall be studying the report very closely but are deeply concerned that the investigation has shown that these weapons continue to be used in the conflict.
We have been willing to allow CW victims to receive specialist private hospital treatment in this country for humanitarian reasons. This in no way prejudices our impartiality in the conflict itself. Eleven victims, six from Iran and five from Iraq, are receiving treatment following use of chemical weapons in Kurdistan.