Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2003-03-12-Speech-3-050"
| Predicate | Value (sorted: default) |
|---|---|
| rdf:type | |
| dcterms:Date | |
| dcterms:Is Part Of | |
| dcterms:Language | |
| lpv:document identification number |
"en.20030312.1.3-050"2
|
| lpv:hasSubsequent | |
| lpv:speaker | |
| lpv:spoken text |
"Mr President, the role of the inspectors appears to be crucial to this debate so perhaps I should spend some time looking at their activities. Many people have claimed that they have been successful so far; I have to say that is not my view. Yes, there has been some success but it really is the tip of the iceberg. On 7 March UNMOVIC published a document entitled 'Unresolved disarmament issues: Iraq's proscribed weapons programme'. That document is 173 pages long and it lists 29 separate sets of unresolved issues; these include the strong presumption that 10 000 litres of anthrax still exist. We also know that a drone has been discovered which is capable of spreading biological and chemical weapons, and we know the cluster bombs have also been discovered. That is not a success. The report is a clear indication that Iraq is in breach of Resolution 1441, it is not fully cooperating with the inspectors, nor is it coming clean. Indeed on 7 March the Iraqi permanent representative to the UN yet again, despite this evidence, claimed Iraq does not have weapons of mass destruction.
Yet despite this evidence, many people here have said the inspections should continue. But for how long? At what point do we say enough is enough? Let us remember that 12 years ago Iraq was given 15 days to disarm. We know the inspectors have only been allowed in because of military pressure, we know that Saddam Hussein is making concessions in order to drag the process out until the summer when war is impossible. We know that it will be impossible to maintain the military pressure in those circumstances indefinitely, and we know therefore that once the threat diminishes Saddam Hussein will be back to his old tricks of obstructing the inspectors. Indeed, only yesterday the U2 spy planes that he gave concessions for were grounded. Is that not a sign of what is to come? Yet we still ask for indefinite inspections, surely that is simply because we do not want to have to make a decision.
Commissioner Patten made a very cogent case setting out the dangers of unilateral action; there is very little I can disagree with. What he did not talk about is the future of the UN if we do not take effective action to enforce 12 years of resolutions that have not been followed. If we cannot take effective action to disarm Iraq then the UN is finished as an effective force and the big countries will be acting unilaterally to the detriment of world peace and stability. The future of the world is at stake. We have heard much about ex-presidents, the Pope, academics; they all have one thing in common, they are totally powerless. At this time when the future of the world is at stake, we need honesty, courage, determination and nerve to enable the international community to act together. We must have a second UN resolution, we must have a clear timetable in order to say inspectors can go on for so long but no further. When that happens, then we must prepare to go to war. If we do not we are lost.
I am particularly proud of the courage, nerve and clear-sighted vision that have been shown by my party leader and I wish a few more party leaders would do the same."@en1
|
| lpv:spokenAs | |
| lpv:unclassifiedMetadata |
Named graphs describing this resource:
The resource appears as object in 2 triples