MPs keen to pursue UN route

Ann Keen MP for Brentford & Isleworth and Alan Keen MP for Feltham & Heston both voted for the main government motion at the end of the Iraq debate on Wednesday night.

The motion that was passed is as follows- “That this House takes note of Command Paper Cm 5769 on Iraq; reaffirms its endorsement of UN Security Council Resolution 1441, as expressed in its Resolution of 25^th November 2002; supports the Government’s continuing efforts in the UN to disarm Iraq of its weapons of mass destruction; and calls upon Iraq to recognise this as its final opportunity to comply with its disarmament obligations”.

“We listened carefully to the debate throughout the afternoon and early evening. The speeches covered the whole spectrum of views from pacifism through to those wanting strong action against Saddam Hussein to bring about regime change. It was parliament at its best with an extremely serious current issue debated with passion. At the vote the House divided right across party lines.

We both voted for the Government’s motion in order to maintain pressure on Saddam Hussein to begin to make real efforts towards disarming under the UN resolutions.

Saddam Hussein has the power to remove the threat of war in the matter of a few days by providing real co-operation but it is clear that he appears to understand only threats. War, no matter how limited, will cause suffering.

However, Saddam Hussein’s regime is a brutal dictatorship. Iraqi democrats and socialists want us to keep up the pressure on him. They have suffered torture, ethnic cleansing and genocide. Many thousands have been killed as Saddam used weapons of mass destruction against his own people and neighbours.

Ann Clwyd MP spoke powerfully yesterday of her visit to Northern Iraq last week, telling of terrible human rights abuses. She said – “The gap between the survivors and those who continue to ignore the reality that oppression, torture and ethnic cleansing are a daily fact of life in Saddam’s Iraq must answer the question: are you prepared for this fascist regime to continue?”.

The real issue is whether Iraq is willing to actively cooperate with the U.N Resolution 1441, not how long that cooperation takes.

The government motion did not call for the military intervention now but for continued pressure on Saddam to comply with U.N resolutions. It is that pressure that demonstrates that he has no choice but to finally disarm.”

Ends.

For further information contact David Keen or Tim Green on 0207 219 2819