§ Mr. DalyellTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on Her Majesty's Government's response to the Iraqi incursion into Kuwait around 10 January.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggThe UN Secretary-General reported to the Security Council that these activities were856W in violation of the procedures established by the Security Council. The Security Council responded on 11 January with a statement condemning the action taken by Iraq which constituted further material breaches of SCR 687 which established the ceasefire at the end of the Gulf war. The council demanded that Iraq co-operate fully with the United Nations Iraq/Kuwait observer mission (UNIKOM) and warned Iraq of the serious consequences that would flow from continued defiance. We fully supported this statement.
On 13 February the Iraqi ambassador to the UN notified the President of the Security Council that his Government had suspended incursions to retrieve equipment from Kuwait. The Permanent Four have since put the Iraqis on notice that coalition actions on 13 January will not be the end of the matter if Iraq continues to flout the will of the international community.
§ Mr. HarveyTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will give details of the visas which have been granted or other facilities extended in the last year to enable Iraqis to enter the United Kingdom for the purposes of discussion with telecommunication or other commercial companies.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggStatistics according to nationality and purpose of visit are not centrally recorded and could not be provided except at disproportionate cost. However, we are aware that visas were issued to eight Iraqis in December 1992 to enter the United Kingdom for the purpose of discussions with a telecommunications company.
We have not extended any other facilities to enable Iraqis to enter the United Kingdom for commercial discussions.