CONFIDENTIAL
FM BRUSSELS
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 251
OF 141328Z AUGUST 90
CONFIDENTIAL
HKCB 020 126
ECEIVER
A
20 AUG 1995
Y
INDL
(21
061653 MDHIAN 3121
INFO PRIORITY BONN, MADRID, THE HAGUE, ROME, WASHINGTON,
INFO PRIORITY LISBON, UKDEL NATO, LUXEMBOURG, CANBERRA, MOSCOW.
YOUR TEL 528 TO PARIS: IRAQ/KUWAIT: EUROPEAN CONTRIBUTION TO FORCES IN THE GULF
1.
DHM SPOKE THIS MORNING TO LACHOWSKI, ACTING HEAD OF MIDDLE EAST DEPARTMENT, MFA, LEAVING A PIECE OF PAPER BASED ON YOUR TUR. INITIAL REACTION FROM THE POLITICAL DIRECTOR, HOLLANTS VAN LOOCKE, WHO READ THE NOTE BUT HAD NO TIME TO DISCUSS IT IN DEPTH WAS THAT THE BELGIANS WOULD PROBABLY HAVE NO DIFFICULTY IN GOING ALONG WITH TO OUR PROPOSALS.
2.
LACHOWSKI TOLD DHM THAT YESTERDAY'S CABINET MEETING HAD BEEN A DIFFICULT ONE WITH THE SOCIALISTS (BOTH PS AND SP) ARGUING STRONGLY AGAINST THE DEPLOYMENT OF BELGIAN VESSELS BOTH ON IDEOLOGICAL GROUNDS AND BECAUSE NO MORE THAN 8% OF BELGIAN OIL COMES FROM IRAQ. THE FACT THAT BOTH SYRIA AND EGYPT HAD DECIDED TO CONTRIBUTE FORCES HELPED TO WIN THE DAY. BUT THE DECISION TO PROVIDE MINESWEEPERS RATHER THAN FRIGATES WAS BASED ON POLITICAL EXPEDIENCY RATHER THAN ON PERCEIVED MILITARY REQUIREMENTS. THE QUESTION OF WHETHER OR NOT TO SEND AIRCRAFT WAS LEFT IN ABEYANCE FOR THE TIME BEING. IF THEY ARE SENT THEY WILL ARE LIKELY TO TRANSPORT AIRCRAFT FOR THE
EVACUATION OF BELGIUM CITIZENS.
3. LACHOWSKI ASKED WHETHER WE HAD GIVEN ANY THOUGHT TO THE QUESTION OF RE-FUELLING/RE-VICTUALLING IRAQI SHIPS IN FOREIGN PORTS OR FOREIGN SHIPS IN IRAQI PORTS. WOULD WE REGARD THIS AS SANCTIONS BUSTING UNDER THE TERMS OF SCR 661 OR WOULD WE ALLOW IT UNDER THE GENEVA CONVENTION QUERY GRATEFUL FOR ADVICE.
O'NEILL
YYYY
1
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