§ Lord Kennetasked Her Majesty's Government:
What, if any, is the status in international law, and what is their opinion, of the "understanding" that any movement of Iraqi troops south of the 32nd parallel beyond "pre-crisis levels" would "trigger American action" against Iraqi forces, reported in the 24 October 1994 issue of Aviation Week and Space Technology, particularly in the light of the same journal's report, in its issue of 14 October: "Iraqi invasion threat reassessed by military: … US field commanders … say they now suspect … the big movement of Iraqi troops … may have been triggered by fear and panic, caused by intense, around-the-clock allied air operation"; and whether such operations did in fact take place.
§ The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Chalker of Wallasey)Following the deployment of Iraqi troops near the Kuwaiti border in October, the UN Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 949, placing clear requirements on Iraq. It demanded the complete withdrawal of recently deployed troops, and warned that Iraq should not use its forces to threaten neighbours or UN personnel.
At the time that Iraq began these deployments, there had been no increase in allied air operations.