Vol. 486 No. 4
71 Proinsias De Rossa asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the steps, if any, the Government is taking to avoid an armed conflict in the Gulf in view of the deteriorating situation there; if the Government will support the efforts of the French Government to secure a peaceful resolution to the dispute; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2870/98]
The Government is very concerned at the increased tension in the Gulf and Middle East regions resulting from the failure of Iraq to eliminate its weapons of mass destruction (WMD). The Government has taken the position at the UN, and in discussion with EU partners, that the completion of this task be pursued most urgently through diplomatic contacts and that military action be considered only as a very last resort. We support the positive efforts to achieve the peaceful resolution of the crisis. We earnestly hope that the efforts in this regard, notably by the Foreign Ministers of France and Russia, will proved successful and we are continuing to make our support for this approach known.
As part of the international effort to restore stability to the Gulf and Middle East regions after the Gulf War, the terms of the United Nations Security Council Resolution 699 of 1991 lay down that WMD held by the Iraqi forces are to be destroyed. The practical implementation of this decision is the brief of a UN Special Commission (UNSCOM) currently headed by Ambassador Richard Butler, an Australian.
Iraq provided full, final and complete disclosures on its prohibited biological and missile programmes in May 1992. This was challenged and found to understate seriously the true amount of chemical, biological and nuclear material and delivery systems held. Iraq subsequently provided full, final and complete disclosures on its WMD capacity on no less than four further occasions, all of them proving to be less than comprehensive.
The maintenance of such weapons by the Iraqi forces poses a threat to the stability of the volatile Gulf and Middle East regions. To put pressure on Iraq to comply with the Security Council Resolution, the UN imposed sanctions against Iraq. These have had significant detrimental effects on the economic and social situation of the Iraqi people, but not perceptibly on those in positions of power to circumvent these effects.
To make better provision for an adequate supply of food and medicines, the Security Council adopted Resolution 986 in 1995 to allow for the exchange of oil for food and medicines. Ireland has been very active with other UN members to expand the scope of this resolution. The Secretary-General is preparing recommendations on how this might be achieved, which should result in the early implementation of an expanded humanitarian programme.
