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Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 1 Jul 2003

Vol. 570 No. 2

Written Answers. - Foreign Conflicts.

Michael D. Higgins

Question:

242 Mr. M. Higgins asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will make a statement on the significance for Government policy, and previously adopted UN Resolutions upon which Government policy may have been based, that attaches to the failure to find weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. [18568/03]

In its Resolution 1441 last November, the UN Security Council recognised the threat posed to international peace and security by Iraq's weapons of mass destruction. This view was based on the fact that since 1998 Iraq had refused to permit the return of the weapons inspectors with the consequence that they had been unable to fulfil their mandate. Subsequent to this resolution and when faced with the threat of force, Iraq accepted the return of the inspectors. However, the degree of co-operation which Iraq extended to the inspectors was described by them as less than full. The reports of the inspectors made it clear that many questions remained unanswered regarding Iraq's holdings of weapons of mass destruction.

The fact that the coalition forces which invaded Iraq, citing as justification the Iraqi regime's refusal to co-operate with UN weapons inspectors, have yet to discover weapons of mass destruction, raises questions as to the motives of the Iraqi regime in refusing to fully co-operate with inspectors.

The recent events in Iraq reinforce the need for all states, in the interest of international peace and security, to fully implement resolutions of the United Nations Security Council and to abide by the terms of the UN Charter. Government policy will continue to reflect these fundamental requirements.

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