HL Deb 13 December 2001 vol 629 c225WA
Lord Moynihan

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What steps they are currently taking to deny Iran and Iraq the ability to develop weapons of mass destruction.[HL1668]

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Amos)

Countering the proliferation of WMD is a key priority of the Government. We promote universalisation of the relevant international treaties and exercise tight export controls on both specialist and dual-use equipment capable of use to develop, produce or use WMD. We are active members of the international export control regimes that seek to co-ordinate controls on trade in such items. We continue to play an active role in support of UN efforts to ensure that Iraq's WMD programmes are terminated under international supervision in accordance with Security Council resolutions.

Lord Moynihan

asked Her Majesty's Government:

When they last made representations to the Russian Government to halt their support for the civil nuclear projects in Iran. [HL1669]

Baroness Amos:

We regularly discuss Russian nuclear co-operation with Iran in our contacts with the Russian Government, most recently when my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs met Foreign Minister Ivanov in October.

Lord Moynihan

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they consider Iran's civil nuclear projects and efforts to acquire the means to produce fissile material raise the prospects of Iran being able to deliver nuclear weapons. [HL1670]

Baroness Amos:

As a state party to the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), Iran is entitled to develop a civil nuclear programme, subject to International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards. The Bushehr reactor, the centrepiece of Iran's civil nuclear programme, is subject to IAEA safeguards. We remain concerned over persistent reports that Iran may have a nuclear weapons programme and urge Iran to sign up to the IAEA's additional 93 plus two protocols which allow more thorough international inspection of all nuclear sites. We attach utmost importance to Iran abiding fully by all of its NPT obligations.