TNAG-2029-FCO40-2891-Hong-Kong-freezing-of-Kuwaiti-and-Iraqi-assets-1990 — Page 191

CONFIDENTIAL

HKB 020 126

12 SEP 1990

расто.30/8.

135034

MDHIAN 5981

134

CONFIDENTIAL

FM UKMIS NEW YORK

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELNO 1133

OF 29215OZ AUGUST 90

INFO IMMEDIATE WASHINGTON, MOSCOW, PARIS, PEKING, BAGHDAD, AMMAN

INFO IMMEDIATE CAIRO, RIYADH, MODUK, ESC LONDON, ACTOR

SIC

ふ

9: IRAQ/KUWAIT: SANCTIONS COMMITTEE

MIPT AND MY TELNOS 1128

SUMMARY

1. EXCHANGE OF VIEWS AMONG THE FIVE ON THE HANDLING OF JORDAN AND FOODSTUFFS IN THE SANCTIONS COMMITTEE.

DETAIL

2. AT A LATER POINT IN THE MEETING OF AMBASSADORS OF THE FIVE ON 29 AUGUST PICKERING (UNITED STATES) SAID HE WISHED TO RAISE TWO PROBLEMS WHICH HAD EMERGED IN THE WORK OF THE SANCTIONS COMMITTEE: (A) JORDAN. THE UNITED STATES HOPED TO WORK OUT AN ACTION PLAN OF

ASSISTANCE TO JORDAN WHICH COULD BE PUT TO THE COMMITTEE: (B) FOODSTUFFS, AND THEIR RELATIONSHIP TO HUMANITARIAN CONCERNS.

THE SANCTIONS COMMITTEE SHOULD LOOK QUICKLY BOTH AT THE GENERAL ISSUE AND AT SPECIFIC PROBLEMS THAT COULD ARISE. HE SUGGESTED THAT INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS IN TOUCH WITH IRAQ MIGHT BE ASKED FOR THEIR ASSESSMENT OF THE FOOD SITUATION THERE TO SUPPLEMENT INFORMATION AVAILABLE TO GOVERNMENTS. FOR EXAMPLE THE PRESIDENT OF THE ICRC WOULD BE VISITING IRAQ ON 1 SEPTEMBER. IN THE US VIEW THE QUESTION OF FOOD SHOULD BE DEALT WITH RATHER STRICTLY, ALTHOUGH NOT OF COURSE WITH THE INTENTION OF STARVING THE IRAQI POPULATION. HIS GOVERNMENT HAD NOTED IRAQ'S STATEMENTS SUGGESTING THAT THERE WAS STILL QUITE A LOT OF FOOD IN IRAQ, AND THAT WHAT WAS AVAILABLE SHOULD GO FIRST TO THE ARMY.

3.

BLANC (FRANCE) AGREED THAT THE ISSUE OF FOODSTUFFS HAD TO BE TACKLED. HE FELT SOME PERSONAL DISCOMFORT ABOUT THIS ASPECT OF SCR 661.

THERE COULD BE NO QUESTION OF BRINGING ABOUT STARVATION TO IRAQ: GOVERNMENTS SHOULD BE CAREFUL NOT TO LAY THEMSELVES OPEN TO CRITICISM ON HUMANITARIAN GROUNDS.

·

I SAID THAT NO ONE WAS TRYING TO STARVE THE PEOPLE OF IRAQ.

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CONFIDENTIAL