Iraq

HC Deb 15 October 1990 vol 177 cc753-5W

Mr. Mullin

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will place in the Library details of official responses by Her Majesty's Government to(a) the use of Iraqi troops of chemical weapons against their own citizens and (b) the Iraqi invasion of Iran.

Mr. Corbyn

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on how many occasions, and when, since 1979 Her Majesty's Government has protested at the use by Iraq of chemical weapons(a) internally and (b) in the war between Iran and Iraq.

Mr. Waldegrave

We have repeatedly condemned in the strongest possible terms the use of chemical weapons by Iraq both during the Iran-Iraq war and against their own Kurdish population. As an illustration, I would refer the hon. Member to the following Hansard references:

Date of protest (if known)	Hansard reference
5 April 1984	HC 30 April 1984, Vol. 59 col. 43
29 March 1985	HC 24 April 1985, Vol. 77 col. 442
24 September 1986	HC 3 December 1986, Vol. 106 col. 928–9
"Recently" (October 1987)	HC 28 October 1987, Vol. 121 col. 265
2 September 1988	HC 27 October 1988, Vol. 139 col. 410
21 September 1988
4–8 November 1988	HC 10 November 1988, Vol. 140 col. 268–69
"Recent" (February 1989)	HC 20 February 1989, Vol. 147 col. 368–69

In particular, we sponsored United Nations Security Council resolution 620 in August 1988 condemning the use of chemical weapons in the Iran-Iraq conflict. At the Paris conference on chemical weapons 7–11 January 1989 I specifically referred to the full horror of the use of chemical weapons in the Iran/Iraq war and the compelling evidence of the use of chemical weapons against the Kurds. Following Iraq's right of reply we made public the evidence on which this was based.

In response to Iraq's invasion of Iran, the United Kingdom voted in favour of Security Council resolution 479, which was adopted unanimously on 28 September 1980. A copy of the resolution is available in the Library of the House.

Ms. Abbott

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will take steps to inform all relations of hostages of the telephone and telex numbers of the British embassy in Baghdad.

Mr. Waldegrave

The British embassy's telephone and telex numbers are (Baghdad code: 010 964 1) 5372121 and 213414 respectively. This information is published in standard reference works available in most public libraries. It is also available by telephone inquiry to the FCO Helpline on 071–430–9920/21.

Ms. Abbott

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what class of post is used for forwarding hostages' mail to their families when it arrives in London.

Mr. Waldegrave

Mail forwarded by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office is sent by first class post.

Ms. Abbott

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Iraqi Government about their continued refusal to release Mr. Alistair Ross of 19 Lidfield road, Stoke Newington N16 9NA; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Waldegrave

The plight of those detained in Iraq is a matter of great concern to us. Representations are continuously being made in Baghdad and in London.

Ms. Abbott

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what he is doing to ensure Red Cross or Red Crescent access to the British hostages in Iraq.

Mr. Waldegrave

Iraq has a clear obligation under international law to allow the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to exercise its humanitarian mandate. The ICRC continues to seek access to foreign nationals in Iraq and Kuwait but Iraq has denied this. We continue to give the ICRC our full support.

Ms. Abbott

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what he is doing to ensure diplomatic access to the hostages in Iraq.

Mr. Waldegrave

We have made and will continue to make frequent and vigorous representations in Baghdad and London for access to British nationals held in Iraq. The Iraqis have rejected all such applications.

Ms. Abbott

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what he is doing to ensure continued(a) postal, (b) telephonic and (c) telex contact between British hostages in Iraq and their friends and relatives in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Waldegrave

We and our Embassy in Baghdad are doing everything possible to ensure that British nationals detained in Iraq can remain in contact with their relatives and friends here.

Mr. Onslow

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the economic measures that have now been taken by each of the member states of the Council of Europe to enforce effective sanctions against Iraq.

Mr. Waldegrave

The 33 members of the Council of Europe which are also members of the United Nations are required to comply with the terms of Security Council resolutions 661, 665 and 670 which impose sanctions against Iraq. All except Liechtenstein have notified the Security Council of measures taken to implement SCR 661. Of the remaining two countries, Switzerland and San Marino, Switzerland has undertaken to observe sanctions and has notified the Security Council of measures taken.