§ Lord Kennetasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they accept the opinion of Dr Ekeus that the elimination of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq has been satisfactorily concluded, or that of the Director of the US CIA, who has been reported to believe that Iraq is "still hiding Scud missiles, chemical munitions and its entire biological weapons warfare programme".
§ Baroness Chalker of WallaseyThe latest report from Ambassador Ekeus, Executive Chairman of the 5WA United Nations Special Commission on Iraq (UNSCOM) makes clear that Iraq has so far failed to declare its past weapons of mass destruction programmes. UNSCOM highlights the lack of required information about chemical and biological weapons. It follows that we cannot be sure that all weapons have been eliminated. Until UNSCOM is satisfied that Iraq has made full declarations, there can be no question of relaxing sanctions.
A copy of Ambassador Ekeus' report has been placed in the Libraries of the House.
§ Lord Kennetasked Her Majesty's Government:
What is the status in international law of limits currently imposed on Iraq's sovereignty, given that Security Council Resolution 1164 refers to a "commitment to the sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence of…Iraq; what is the status in international law of the current over-flying of Iraq territory; who is doing it, by whom is a count of it kept; and whether the numbers of these sorties reported by the government of Iraq to the UN Secretary-General are, to their knowledge, accurate.
§ Baroness Chalker of WallaseyIn imposing the prohibititions and restrictions on Iraq in UN Security Council Resolution (SCR) 687, the Security Council acted under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations, and the measures are thus binding on all member states by virtue of Article 25 of the Charter.
American, British and French aircraft patrol an area in northern Iraq north of the 36th parallel and an area in southern Iraq south of the 32nd parallel in support of SCR 688, each of these being an area in which there were and remain circumstances of extreme humanitarian need. Although the circumstances varied somewhat, the purpose was and remains the same, to monitor compliance with SCR 688, which demands that Iraq, as a contribution to international peace and security in the region, end the repression of its civilian population.
Each participating nation keeps a count of the missions flown by its own aircraft. A comparison of these records with the reports made by the Iraqis to the UN Secretary General could therefore only be provided at disproportionate cost.
§ Lord Kennetasked Her Majesty's Government:
What discussions they have had with oil-exporting countries of the Gulf area about lifting sanctions on Iraq; what reports they have received on the same subject; what effect, in their estimate, would the lifting of sanctions have on the price of oil, and on the financial well-being of the various oil-exporting states.
§ Baroness Chalker of WallaseyWe are in close contact with many countries in the region about policy towards Iraq. There can be no question of lifting the oil embargo or any other sanction imposed on Iraq until that country is in full compliance with all relevant UN Security Council resolutions. It is therefore premature to speculate about the effect of any return by Iraq to the oil markets.
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§ Lord Kennetasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether the removal of Saddam Hussein from office in Iraq is now for them a condition of the lifting of sanctions on Iraq; and whether this requirement is present, or implicit, in any of the various relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions and, if so, which.
§ Baroness Chalker of WallaseyThe conditions for the lifting of sanctions remain those set out in relevant Security Council resolutions. However, we judge it unlikely that Iraq will be able to meet those conditions whilst Saddam Hussein is in power.
§ Lord Kennetasked Her Majesty's Government:
Which UN Security Council Resolutions remain to be fulfilled by Iraq, given that Iraq will be better able to pay its debts when the existing sanctions are lifted; and what proportion of missing Kuwaitis do the United States of America, the United Kingdom and Kuwait expect Iraq to account for.
§ Baroness Chalker of WallaseyAt the six-monthly review of sanctions imposed on Iraq held on 14 November, the UN Security Council concluded that there were no grounds on which to lift the sanctions. The Council reached this conclusion after due consideration of Security Council Resolution 687, which formalised the ceasefire and set out the conditions for the lifting of sanctions. These conditions include fully accounting for all Kuwaitis detained by Iraq.
There can be no question of sanctions being lifted until Iraq is in full compliance with all the relevant Security Council resolutions.