§ Lord Renfrew of Kaimsthorn asked Her Majesty's GovernmentWhether they will veto any motion at the United Nations Security Council to lift the current regime of international sanctions prohibiting trade with Iraq until new international sanctions have been agreed and implemented to make illegal the export of antiquities and other cultural properties from Iraq to any country and also to make illegal in any country the import, export, ownership, sale or transfer of ownership of any antiquities or cultural property of possible Iraqi origin which cannot he documented as already being outside Iraq prior to the Gulf War of 1991 and the original imposition of sanctions. [HL2642]
§ Baroness Symons of Vernham DeanWe support the safe return of Iraqi antiquities to Iraq and we condemn illicit trade in them. We are working with Security Council members to find the best way of protecting Iraq's cultural assets in the event of sanctions lift. However, the UK will only decide how to vote at the Security Council once a draft resolution has been presented before it.