Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2002-05-15-Speech-3-313"
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"en.20020515.11.3-313"2
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"Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, as far as we are concerned, the Nicholson report is neither good nor evil – and we do not want, at this point, to fall into the trap of the dichotomy of the ‘axis of evil’ speech – but it is clearly dangerous, because we cannot ignore its context. The United States is openly preparing for a military intervention in Iraq and is searching among the opposition in exile for successors to Saddam Hussein. It is neither the habit nor the task of Europe to overthrow regimes, and clearly we shall not be voting for the Nicholson report until there is no longer any doubt on this point. Obviously, my group unreservedly condemns the human rights violations described in the report, but it is astonished that Baroness Nicholson has said so little about the humanitarian tragedy caused by the embargo and about the one and a half million deaths that it has caused. My group also believes that the report’s insistence on the Iraqi exiles should not make us forget the existence of a civil society within the country, which is still surviving, and with dignity. I have just returned from Iraq and I can bear witness to that fact. Fortunately, these imbalances in the report can be corrected by the amendments tabled. However, in my view the most important question is missing. The most important question is the nature of the role that Europe wishes to play in this matter. Is it a pacifying role, opening up the way to a dialogue with Iraq, or is it a detonating role? Depending on how the vote goes tomorrow, the outcome will be clear. We Socialists will therefore be asking that the UN should play a vitally important role in seeking a regional peaceful solution, and that the economic embargo should be lifted as a matter of urgency. Resolution 1409 of the Security Council of the United Nations, adopted yesterday, is still very restrictive, even though it has made the sanctions more flexible. We are asking that Iraq should open its doors, without any restrictions, to the UN inspection missions, but that they should then serve as an example to Israel. We are asking that Europe should become involved in the reconstruction of the country, provided that the Iraqi Government implements democratic reforms. For heaven’s sake, let us not isolate Iraqi society. For that society, and for the regions, the consequence of an armed conflict would be incalculable. I am personally shocked by the proposals of a British diplomat at the UN yesterday, proposals which are published in tomorrow’s
when he said that Iraq must be aware that when these talks with the UN come to an end the missiles will fall, whether or not Baghdad accepts the return of the inspectors."@en1
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