Dublin MEP to visit Iraq

national | miscellaneous | news report Thursday January 30, 2003 14:19 by Cathy Flanagan head_office at labour dot ie 17 Ely Place, Dublin 2 6784700

Proinsias de Rossa MEP, joins European Parliament peace delegation to Iraq

On Sunday (2nd February) Proinsias will leave for Baghdad as part of a cross-party delegation of MEPs which opposes war and supports human rights and democracy for the Iraqi population. When he's in Iraq he will urge proactive cooperation with the UK Inspectors and compliance with all UN Resolutions. He will also visit hospitals and local communities in Baghdad and Basra to assess the huminitarian impact of sanctions and the build-up to a possible war against Iraq.

Proinsias spoke in a debate in the European Parliament against unilateral US action in Iraq on January 29th. He called on the European Council, the Irish Government, and all Member State governments, to insist that UN Inspectors be given more time to carry out their mandate. "If the UN Inspectors are given more time, and Iraq co-operates with them proactively, then I believe peaceful disarmament can be achieved."

Proinsias was speaking in support of a Resolution tabled by the Party of European Socialists, of which he is a Vice Chair, which insists that military action is not justified and not acceptable without further reference to the United Nations Security Council. The Resolution stresses the importance of complete disarmament of Iraqi weapons of mass destruction under international control and according to relevant United Nations Security Council resolution.

"The US intent to go to war and to occupy Iraq, with or without a UN mandate, is in breach of international international law. There is no evidence that would legitimise such a war and the consequences for the Iraqi people, the Middle East region, and for world peace, security and stability would be horrific" Rather than disarming Saddam Hussein a pre-emtive US attack could make weapons of mass destruction more available; cause mass refugee flows of up to 1.5 million people towards Turkey and Iran; lead to the use of chemical weapons against Iraqi civilian targets and the possible torching of Iraqi oilfields which could send global oil prices soaring to as much as $100 a barrel.

"Unilateral regime change through military means is unacceptable, and any country advocating it departs from international law and any pretext of being interested in workable solutions to the world's problems."