§ Lord Aveburyasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether, in view of the reported plan by the Iraqi Government to remove up to 200,000 Kurds from their homes, and the reported use by that government of chemical weapons against Kurdish civilians, they will advise British firms not to participate in the Baghdad Arms Fair starting 28th April; whether they will suspend all licences for the export of arms to Iraq until further notice; whether they will raise, in the United Nations Security Council, the reported plans of the Iraqi Government to move people from their homes, and whether they will seek the support of the Twelve in efforts to help the Kurdish people.
§ Lord GlenarthurWe have taken these reports up with the Iraqi authorities, most recently when my honourable friend the Minister of State (Mr. Waldegrave) spoke to the Iraqi Ambassador on 19th April. We have made clear that we would view with grave concern any evidence of mass deportations. We have also raised the issue with our partners in the Twelve. The Iraqi Government has admitted to some localised resettlement of Kurds for security reasons, but has denied any mass relocation to southern Iraq. We continue to watch the situation closely, and have urged the Iraqi Government to allow diplomats and journalists to visit the area.
Attendance by British companies at the Baghdad International Arms Fair remains a matter for their own judgment in the light of their knowledge of the strict guidelines which prevent the supply of lethal equipment to both Iraq and Iran. These continue to be scrupulously applied. Exhibiting military equipment is no guarantee of its availability for export.
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