§ Rev. Martin SmythTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will call for a formal investigation by the appropriate UN authorities into allegations of chemical weapons used by the Government of Sudan against civilians. [137106]
§ Mr. HainThese allegations relate to alleged attacks in Southern Sudan in late July 1999 by the Government of Sudan against rebel forces during the civil conflict in progress at the time. Samples from the sites of the alleged attacks have been analysed at the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency, Porton Down for the most likely CW agents. The tests found no evidence that these agents had been used. We duly informed the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) of our results as the OPCW is recognised by the UN as the competent body for handling CW issues.
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