Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 17 Feb 1998

Vol. 487 No. 3

Written Answers. - Iraqi Weapons.

John Bruton

Question:

114 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if Iraq is developing weapons of mass destruction including biological and chemical weapons on a major scale; if this is contributing to instability in the area; and the representations, if any, Ireland has made to Iraq in this regard. [4035/98]

Minister for Foreign Affairs (Mr. Andrews)

Ireland wants the complete removal of weapons of mass destruction from all of the Middle East as we believe that the presence of these weapons in any one country increases instability in the entire region.

Following the Gulf War, the United Nations Security Council in resolution 687 of 1991 authorized the setting up of the United Nations Special Commission, UNSCOM, in order to ascertain the location of biological, chemical and other weapons of mass destruction held by Iraq and to destroy these weapons.

The inspection system set up by the United Nations has had some successes. The question of Iraq's nuclear capacity was investigated by the International Atomic Energy Commission which, in its fourth report of 14 January 1998, to the Secretary General of the United Nations, stated that there was no indication that Iraq had been successful in its attempts to produce nuclear weapons, although it had been on the threshold of success in certain elements of such production. Most of the components of the Iraqi nuclear weapons programme had been revealed, destroyed or rendered harmless by the end of 1992 with some further prescribed material being handed over in August 1995.

As regards chemical and biological weapons, it was reported last year that UNSCOM had succeeded in discovering and destroying an advanced chemical weapons capability. The commission has also succeeded in destroying Iraq's production facilities for biological weapons. However there still remains, in UNSCOM's view, a quantitatively small but qualitatively still significant number of items unaccounted for in Iraq.

This situation is complicated by the fact that the work of UNSCOM has constantly been frustrated by non-compliance on the Iraqi side. The latest crisis has arisen from the refusal by Iraq to co-operate with the inspection team which it claims is dominated by personnel from a small number of countries. The dispute has now broadened to include disagreement on access to presidential sites and on the timetable for the completion of inspections.

If Iraq was to retain any weapons of mass destruction it would remain in defiance of the decisions of the UN Security Council and would continue to pose a threat to the international community. Ireland, together with EU partners, has consistently called on Iraq to comply with the relevant UN resolutions. Diplomatic efforts are ongoing and I remain hopeful that a peaceful outcome will be achieved.