Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2002-09-04-Speech-3-014"

Predicate	Value (sorted: default)
rdf:type	lpv_eu:Speech2
dcterms:Date	"2002-09-04"^^xsd:date2
dcterms:Is Part Of	lp_eu:Iraq2
dcterms:Language	"nl"^^xsd:language2
lpv:document identification number	"en.20020904.1.3-014"2
lpv:hasSubsequent	lp_eu:2002-09-04-Speech-3-0152
lpv:speaker	lp:Bas Belder2
lpv:spokenAs	substitute; Delegation to the EU-Romania Joint Parliamentary Committee (2002-02-07--2004-07-19)3 substitute; Committee on Industry, External Trade, Research and Energy (2002-01-17--2004-07-19)3 member; EDD (1999-07-20--2004-07-19)3 member; Delegation for relations with the Member States of ASEAN, south-east Asia and the Republic of Korea (2002-02-07--2004-07-19)3 unknown; ChristenUnie - Staatkundig Gereformeerde Parti (2002-03-18--2004-07-19)3 vice-chair; Delegation for relations with the United States (2002-02-07--2004-07-19)3 member; Committee on Foreign Affairs, Human Rights, Common Security and Defence Policy (2002-01-17--2004-07-19)3
lpv:translated text	"Mr President, I welcome this timely debate on Iraq, because the potential threat that is emanating from the current regime in Mesopotamia causes me great concern. This threat is the culmination of two worrying trends. First of all, Iraq has been boycotting the UN's inspection of its military materiel for nearly four years. This particularly applies to banned weapons of mass destruction. Secondly, President Saddam Hussein's regime is strongly suspected of maintaining close links with Islamic terrorist groups. This suspicion dates back to the 1993 bomb attack on the World Trade Centre in New York. Since 11 September of last year, this suspicion has, politically speaking, become more topical than ever. In the current confusion about the West's attitude towards Iraq, I should like to ask the Council a few questions and make some suggestions at the same time. Why does the EU, with or without the US, not prescribe a clear deadline within which Baghdad must allow the actual and unconditional resumption of the UN weapons inspections? I would, however, add that desired inspections of this kind will not rule out the danger of biological weapons arsenals. After all, Saddam Hussein is a completely heartless man, and weapons that are easy to conceal are right up his street. Secondly, why does the EU not visibly step up the political pressure on Saddam by entering into talks with the Iraqi opposition? In the final analysis, this is exactly what is being done by the Russian Federation, which is, after all, a country that has so far been on more than just speaking terms with Iraq. In short, I urge Europe to actively look for a political alternative to Saddam's 'republic of terror'. Finally, I would ask the Council to launch initiatives for an in-depth summit with the US administration right away. The topic of this meeting should be a joint position on Iraq's persistent, destabilising international role. The launch of a European peace proposal for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is simply incompatible with tolerating a sponsor of Palestinian terror."@en1

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