The following is an archived copy of a message sent to a Discussion List run by the Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq.
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>With apologies for a repeated section of text, I promise not to >post it to CASI after this issue - someone somehow has not seen >the point being made by our own British Foreign Office ???????? > >Eric Herring wrote: > >" This implies logically that the sanctions could >be lifted even with no cooperation regarding the missing >605. Having said that, paragraph 21 introduces an ambiquity >indicating a possible link of lifting/relaxing sanctions to >cooperation with all relevant UN resolutions. >In the end it comes done to a matter of interpretation. " >-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Moonirah - H.E.L.P. CO-ORDINATOR IN THE UK responding wrote:20/9/99 > > >Our e-mail address could not possibly include: >HELP-lebanese-egyptian-omani-bahraini-saudi-indian-phillipino-kuwaiti.hostages-pows-in >Iraq !! As the 605 were illegally abducted to Iraq from 'Kuwait' 1990 - 1991 and their >families established a Committee in 'Kuwait' 1991, then in Cardiff during 1997, we >thought of Hostages' Envoys for Liberty of Prisoners in Iraq = H.E.L.P. and arranged an >e-mail address:help-kuwaiti.hostages-pows-iniraq@dtn.ntl.com. >One of our own British phrases I recall is " cannot see the wood for the trees " ? >This matter is not a new development but commenced with the 1991 Cease-fire Agreement >and UN Resolution 687 (1991. Then again last year (1998) UN Resolution 1154. >Our organisation finally obtained TV, Radio and Press coverage for this humanitarian >issue 1998 - 1999 locally in Wales, UK national, Arab News and British Forces Radio ! > >I went to Kuwait on a campaign visit February this year, interviewed hostages' >families and spoke to the sad children who dearly want their 'daddy' or 'mummy' to come >home please. How those people suffered at the hands of some Iraqis whilst illegally >occupying >that Emirate !! I saw evidential documentation, testimonials plus colour >photographs of children >and adults proving all the atrocities which I had heard about >from a variety of sources before going and I felt that I should see the evidence for >myself in order to speak of related matters, on travels, for our freedom campaign. > >The rapes of women and men, tortures with sulphuric acid and various instruments were. >atrocities carried out on the Kuwaiti nation, which I hoped would not be repeated on >any other human being - it was absolutely horrific. > >I met Kuwaiti Red Crescent personnel, medics and volunteers who since 1991 contribute >lots of humanitarian aid to the innocents in Iraq. Kuwaitis work hard helping Iraqis >and I had not known this fact until I went abroad looking for some truth myself. > >I and many people connected with our organisation are British - no foreign origins, >whilst other supportive and valued individuals come from a variety of countries. >A Canadian and an American offered to HELP us when I met both ladies, 'out of the blue' >exploring a DHOW in Kuwait's Museum that was re-built since Iraqis burned it down. >It was they who approached me, with a Welsh lilt in my voice speaking fluent English >but dressed appropriately for any Muslim country, fully covered they were very kind. > >Relatives of the 605 reside in Wales, England and Scotland. > >With consideration to the Moderator and CASI participants, I should not repeat myself ? > >With the greatest of respect EH to your viewpoint, as the 605 are loved relatives, >cherished >colleagues and treasured friends, all of whom have been dearly missed for >nine years - we cannnot >possibly just go on " interpretation " In a written letter >dated 19th March 1998 signed from >Foreign Secretary Robin Cook to Shadow Foreign >Secretary Michael Howard, referring to my own >'607' enquiries, Mr Cook wrote that he >shares my concern and was particularly struck by the plight of the families when he >visited Kuwait during the previous month (February 1998) also he clearly confirmed, >" sanctions cannot be lifted until this issue is resolved ". > >Before, during and after the recent new Draft Resolution Proposal by Britain it was >again >verbally confirmed to me by telephone when speaking to the Middle East Department >of F.C.O. in >London. One call in particular I remember well - after the sudden death >of Derek Fatchett I was speaking by telephone to Jane Bailey who that day re-confirmed >"sanctions >cannot be lifted until this issue is resolved" plus, we spoke of the media >and press focussing on >non-compliance of weapons inspections, thus knowingly omitting >facts about the human face of this tragedy, which is a key piece in all this - despite >so many people not seeing it clearly yet ! Time perhaps will help them comprehend ?? > >When I asked her whether their decisions or policies had been or were to being changed, >Ms Bailey added, re-assuringly, that the request for release of the 605 detainees is >always >discussed at every meeting attended by F.C.O. representatives with the United >Nations, etc etc. >It was agreed by us both that the 605 Kuwaiti plus THIRD-NATIONAL >hostages and PoWs' humanitarian >issue is constantly excluded by news agencies, although >all media and press are totally aware >that UN Resolution 1154 signed 1998 and 687 >signed 1991 requires IRAQ to release the 605 >detainees. Hence you have the statements >again put out in current news reports confirming " >pressure on Iraq to meet its >international obligations ", i.e. Resolutions 1154 and 687 !! > > Re:London meeting this week between 5 main members of UN .. > UN Permanent Members Make Progress on Iraq Sanctions:UK > > "Progress was made but eventual success is not certain," > a Reuters report quoted the spokesman as saying. > "There is no guarantee this will be achieved, but we must > explore the possibilities to create a united Security Council > position to put pressure on Iraq to meet its international obligations, > > and responding, Moonirah wrote: > >United Security Council position to put pressure on Iraq to meet its >international obligations,........ > >"international obligations" = release 605 hostages & PoWs - Third-nationals plus > Kuwaitis, illegally abducted '90 - '91 to Iraq and confirmed 1998 on UK Channel 4 > TV as seen there inside Iraqi prisons by British Baroness Emma Nicholson - politician. > > Arab press recently stated that Kuwait is not opposing changes to sanctions ? > Although Iraq killed two Kuwaiti Border Patrollers this week. > > The British Foreign Office, Middle East Department correspondence confirms: > "sanctions cannot be lifted until this issue is resolved" - according to > United Nations Resolutions 1154 signed 1998 and 687 signed 1991 with Cease-fire. > > Across the globe, humanitarian campaigners and political activists do not > have the full information for their debates, discussions, news groups, forums, > petitions, rallies and demonstrations - unless these true facts are included > throughout considerations. > > I am not asking for sanctions against any country but I am quoting this > statement of our, own F.C.O. in London which also confirmed the same by > telephone to me: > > "sanctions cannot be lifted until this issue is resolved" - despite > ongoing speculation, plus some media and press now knowingly excluding > these facts also. However, it gets them nowhere, the sanctions stand > it seems until 605 detainees are released by Iraq and they return > 'archives' which they stole from Kuwait. At every meeting regarding > "sanctions" between UN members and our own British Government > representatives the humanitarian issue of 605 hostages plus PoWs held > in Iraq belonging to several countries is discussed. > > Nobody can ignore this matter, otherwise no progress can be made - > evidentially, the past nine years have proven this is true. > > Unless you consider the foregoing you miss the point..with respect - miss it again ? > > Moonirah > UK --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Two points: > > Much as I sympathise with the plight of those held by Iraq, > there is something very sick about holding the entire Iraqi > population hostage and contributing to the death of close to > a million of them (people who have very little ability to do > anything to change IRaqi policy), supposedly as part of a > campaign to release about 600 people. > > And as far as the British position is concerned that the > sacntions should nto be lifted until Iraq cooperates on > this matter, paragraph 22 links the lifting or relaxing of > sanctions only to nuclear, biological and chemical weapon > and long-range ballsitic missile disarmament and > monitoring. This implies logically that the sanctions could > be lifted even with no cooperation regarding the missing > 605. Having said that, paragraph 21 introduces an ambiquity > indicating a possible link of lifting/relaxing sanctions to > cooperation with all relevant UN resolutions. > In the end it comes done to a matter of interpretation. ??????????? > ---------------------- > Dr. Eric Herring > Department of Politics > University of Bristol > 10 Priory Road > Bristol BS8 1TU > England, UK > Tel. +44-(0)117-928-8582 > Fax +44-(0)117-973-2133 > http://www.bris.ac.uk/Depts/Politics > eric.herring@bristol.ac.uk > -- > ------------------------------------------------------------------------- > This is a discussion list run by the Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq. > To be removed/added, email soc-casi-discuss-request@lists.cam.ac.uk, NOT > the whole list. Please do not sent emails with attached files to the list > *** Archived at http://linux.clare.cam.ac.uk/~saw27/casi/discuss.html *** -- ------------------------------------------------------------------------- This is a discussion list run by the Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq. To be removed/added, email soc-casi-discuss-request@lists.cam.ac.uk, NOT the whole list. Please do not sent emails with attached files to the list *** Archived at http://linux.clare.cam.ac.uk/~saw27/casi/discuss.html ***