Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2003-01-29-Speech-3-035"
| Predicate | Value (sorted: default) |
|---|---|
| rdf:type | |
| dcterms:Date | |
| dcterms:Is Part Of | |
| dcterms:Language | |
| lpv:document identification number |
"en.20030129.2.3-035"2
|
| lpv:hasSubsequent | |
| lpv:speaker | |
| lpv:spoken text |
"Mr President, resolution 1441 is very clear. It declares in paragraph 1 that Iraq has been and remains in material breach of its obligations under the relevant resolutions including resolution 687 of 1991. Resolution 687 of 1991 details the United Nations' demands of international monitoring, inspection and verification of weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missiles. It imposes sanctions, except as regards medical and humanitarian supplies, to ensure compliance. It places a clear prohibition on the commission of, or support for, acts of terrorism. It demands the restoration of Kuwaiti prisoners of war and Kuwaiti property and it warns of grave consequences which would follow Iraq's continued use of weapons of mass destruction.
Iraq is indeed guilty and in breach on all those counts. For example, it supports terrorists such as the MKO (Mujahedin-e Khalq Organisation), proscribed on the European Union list of terrorists. It trains, arms and sends out that terrorist group and has done so for a long time now. Possibly also, through war in the north of Iraq, we are discovering its links with the Al Qaida network of international terrorists.
I turn to weapons of mass destruction. I have talked in earlier debates of the use of mustard gas in the marshes in 1996 and of the victims I saw. Mr Brok, the chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, Human Rights, Common Security and Defence Policy, mentioned our mission to Iran, during which we talked to a few of the tragic people who had suffered the consequences of that misuse of weapons of mass destruction, with Kuwaiti prisoners of war still being hidden and property still not returned. Despite these breaches, resolution 1441 gives Iraq one final chance, a slender window of opportunity that it seems to be refusing to open.
Resolution 1441 calls us also to witness and to relieve the sufferings of the Iraqi people. The resolution points to the prolongation of the crisis of humanitarian dimensions as the consequence of Iraq's refusal to implement resolution 687 and others. What are the consequences? Millions of refugees. Iran has borne a major burden, Jordan has large numbers, Syria enormous numbers too and Turkey also, not to mention other countries in the region. We have a relatively small number in the European Union. Hundreds of thousands, yes, but not the four and a half million that are in the region. These refugees are alive; others have been tortured, killed or imprisoned and have no freedom of speech.
Saddam is indeed dangerous to the region and beyond, and dangerous to his own people. If he retains his power, we cannot be sure in the future that he will not once more go back to spending three-quarters of his gross national product on weapons, 15, 16, 17 billion dollars' worth of new weapons in the region year on year. That is the threat he poses to the region, and he has instruments which will allow him to put those weapons of mass destruction beyond Iraq's national borders.
Resolution 687 had an overall objective of restoring international peace and security in the region. I believe that the United Nations' will is now to secure that goal. Our unity as a European Union should be deployed in support of their efforts."@en1
|
| lpv:spokenAs | |
| lpv:unclassifiedMetadata |
Named graphs describing this resource:
The resource appears as object in 2 triples