Vol. 461 No. 1
25 Mr. Timmins asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if, in conjunction with the EU partners, he will put pressure on the Iraqi regime to reveal the whereabouts of the 625 Kuwaiti hostages and prisoners of war taken back to Iraq from Kuwait at the culmination of the Gulf War; and if he will demand the return of those still alive. [2402/96]
I am greatly concerned at reports of the continuing detention of Kuwaiti citizens in Iraq since the end of the Gulf War. The seriousness of this issue was emphasised by the delegation of Kuwaiti parliamentarians which visited Ireland in October last to ask for our assistance, and that of our EU partners, in pursuing this matter.
Since then Ireland has raised the issue within the EU. It was agreed that contacts with Iraq should be utilised to pursue the matter. I am raising the question of the continued detention of Kuwaiti citizens, together with other humanitarian issues, with the Iraqi authorities.
The Kuwaiti authorities will themselves continue to raise this issue at the regular meetings involving the International Red Cross, Kuwait and Iraq held at the border between these countries and hosted by the United Nations Iraq and Kuwait Observer Mission (UNIKOM).
It is worrying that there are talks about sanctions against Iraq being lifted and that it may be allowed to sell oil on the open market in the near future, while many matters such as the whereabouts of the 625 Kuwaiti hostages remain unresolved? Will the Tánaiste oppose the lifting of these sanctions until such time as there is a satisfactory conclusion and explanation as to the whereabouts of these 625 individuals? The Kuwaiti authorities believe that most, if not all of them, are still alive and in prisons or places of detention within Iraq. Has the United Nations any system whereby it can visit such prisons and places of detention in Iraq before there is any question of those sanctions being lifted?
I accept what the Deputy has said. On the question of sanctions on Iraq and whether there will be a change in the prison regime, it is important that many matters involving human rights and respect for the rule of law be dealt with effectively. If there is any discussion at European level — there has not been in recent weeks — about this matter, I will certainly make the views of this House known. I am in written communication with the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Iraq on this issue.
Is there any question of the United Nations doing what the Council of Europe has been doing for years, whereby it has a legal team which is entitled to visit all prisons and places of detention within the boundaries of the 34 member states of the Council of Europe? Could we have a similar investigating body within the United Nations? Will the Tánaiste agree that the concept is desirable and would it help to resolve problems such as this?
The concept sounds desirable but having listened to the radio this morning and having heard about the budgetary and financial problems of the United Nations, it is unlikely that the UN will be taking on additional responsibilities. Notwithstanding that, we can have a look at what the Deputy has suggested and raise it in the appropriate fora.
