asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs to outline the Government's efforts to date to assist in bringing about chemical weapon control; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Chemical Weapon Control.
4.
This country has long supported and worked for a convention to outlaw chemical weapons. When I addressed the General Assembly of the United Nations on behalf of the Ten member states of the European Community on 25 September of last year, I said:
The Ten will continue to support realistic and concrete disarmament efforts at the sole multilateral negotiating body — the Geneva Conference on Disarmament. We attach particular importance to the successful conclusion of negotiations taking place at the conference on a convention to prohibit chemical weapons. Member states of the European Community have contributed actively to this work. In this connection we welcome positive developments which have taken place this year: the United States has tabled a draft convention to outlaw these weapons and the Soviet Union has accepted the principle of on-site inspection of destruction of stocks of chemical weapons. Although important differences remain to be resolved, the Ten hope that it will be possible to move towards the conclusion at an early date of a convention to eliminate chemical weapons.
In referring, in the course of the same statement, to the use of chemical weapons in the conflict between Iran and Iraq, I said the following:
Of particular concern was the report in March of this year by an expert team dispatched by the Secretary-General which ascertained that chemical weapons had been used in areas inspected in Iran. The Ten condemn without qualification any use of chemical weapons and earnestly hope that they will not be used again in this or any other conflict.
Following the use of chemical weapons in the war between Iran and Iraq, all Ten member states of the European Community have taken measures to control the export of certain chemical substances which could be used for the production of chemical weapons.
Would the Minister indicate whether or not in this very important area he sees the main hope for the future as being in the United Nations, that it is there the effort should be made? Would he pursue to the best of his ability this whole matter and be assured that in so doing he will have the full support of everybody in the House?
I agree with the Deputy that the main forum should be the United Nations. Certainly I would not miss any opportunity of adding our voice to the general concern felt by everybody in this House, and I believe by the vast majority of people in the world, about the use of chemical weapons.