Environmental Modification Techniques (Hansard, 25 June 1991)

§ Dr. Thomas
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he will meet the United Nations Secretary General to discuss the strengthening of the 1977 United Nations convention on the prohibition of military or any other hostile use of environmental modification techniques.

§ Mr. Lennox-Boyd
My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs has no plans to meet the United Nations Secretary General to discuss the 1977 United Nations convention on the prohibition of military or any other hostile use of environmental modification techniques.

§ Dr. Thomas
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy to press for an early review conference on the 1977 United Nations convention on the prohibition of military or any other hostile use of environmental modification techniques.

§ Mr. Lennox-Boyd
The United Kingdom will be sending representatives in a personal capacity to the Canadian conference of experts on the use of the environment as a weapon of war on 10–12 July. This meeting is likely to discuss, inter alia, the 1977 UN convention on the prohibition of military or any other hostile use of environmental modification techniques.

§ Dr. Thomas
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to propose the establishment of a consultative committee under the 1977 United Nations convention on the prohibition of military or any other hostile use of environmental modification techniques to investigate the environmental destruction in the Gulf region.

§ Mr. Lennox-Boyd
My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs has no such plans.

§ Dr. Thomas
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what consultations he has had with other signatory states of the 1977 United Nations convention on the prohibition of military or any other hostile use of environmental modification techniques, concerning the possibilities of strengthening the regulations of the convention; and if he will make a statement.

§ Mr. Lennox-Boyd
My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs has had no such consultations. UK experts will attend, in a personal capacity, the forthcoming Canadian conference of experts on the use of the environment as a weapon of war which we expect is likely to discuss, inter alia, the 1977 UN convention on the prohibition of military or any other hostile use of environmental modification techniques.