§ Mr. Campbell-SavoursTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will propose to the United Nations Security Council a resolution relating to the discussions which have taken place between the Kurdish leadership and the Iraqi Government.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggAny agreement between the Kurdish groups and the Iraqi Government is an internal38W Iraqi matter, but, if requested to do so, the international community will wish to consider what further reassurance it can give to the Kurdish peoples. The United Nations has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Iraqi Government on the conduct of relief operations in Iraq based on the personal safety of the refugees and the normalisation of their lives in their places of origin.
§ Mr. MaddenTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action is being taken by Her Majesty's Government to provide substantial humanitarian aid to Shias in southern Iraq; if he will make it his policy that British and other coalition forces should remain on the southern Iraq-Kuwait border until an orderly replacement by United Nation's peace-keeping forces has taken place; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggI refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave on 25 April to the hon. Member for Newport, West (Mr. Flynn), at column521–22.
§ Mr. MaddenTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has about the Iraqi authorities offering rewards for Kurdish men and women handed over to Iraqi Ba'athist forces, including police; what estimates he has received about how many such people have been handed over as a result; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggAlthough we regularly receive information from a number of sources about conditions in the Kurdish areas in Iraq, we have seen no reports of the activities described by the hon. Member.
§ Mr. MaddenTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what consideration is being given to the establishment of safe havens on the Iraq-Iran border; what assessment has been made of the numbers of Kurds and others inside Iraq and inside Iran in need of humanitarian aid; how many air strips are being built on the Iran-Iraq border; what accessibility Hariri airport offers to humanitarian aid flights; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggSafe havens will be established where they are needed. The most recent estimates we have of the number of refugees is almost 1 million on the Iranian side of the border and nearly half a million on the Iraqi side of the border. Our first priority has been to provide immediate humanitarian assistance using the existing infrastructure. Where necessary, helicopters are being used to fly supplies to inaccessible areas. We and non-Government agencies are considering the use of all facilities in the area for extending relief operations.
§ Mr. MaddenTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations are being made to Iraq to ensure no Iraqi forces, including all categories of Iraqi police, are permitted to occupy areas in close proximity to safe havens and other areas occupied by Kurds and Shias; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggRepresentations have been made to local Iraqi commanders and to Iraq's permanent 39W representative at the United Nations. Following these representations most of the armed Iraqis have now left the area where the safe camp is being established.