WRITTEN QUESTION E-2854/97 by Leen van der Waal (I-EDN) to the Council (13 September 1997)

Subject: Acquisition of arms by Syria, Iraq and Iran

In recent months the Council has taken a number of initiatives to support the peace process in the Middle East, including the appointment of a Special Envoy, Mr Moratinos. The focus has been on promoting the peace process between Israel and the Palestinians. Recent reports indicate, however, that countries such as Syria, Iraq and Iran are rapidly building up stocks of arms - not simply conventional, but also chemical and biological arms - which are far in excess of the levels needed for their national security.

1. Can the Council confirm these reports of an excessive build-up of arms by Syria, Iraq and Iran?

2. Does the Council share my view that these rearmament programmes might impede the progress of the peace process in the Middle East, since they are a threat to Israel and they could encourage terrorist activities aimed at Israel?

3. With a view to the progress of the peace process, does the Council therefore see any grounds for raising the question of this rearmament in its contacts with Syria, Iraq and Iran?

4. Is the Council prepared to ensure that no know-how or equipment for making nuclear, chemical or biological weapon are exported from the Union to Syria, Iraq and Iran?

Answer (26 November 1997)

The Honourable Member's attention is drawn to the fact that, following the 1991 Gulf War, Iraq is subject to a UN sanctions regime aiming at full dismantlement of the mass destruction capability built up by that country before the war.

The Council is concerned about the effects on regional secuirty of Iran's arms procurement and development activities. It raises these concerns with countries from which Iran is known to be trying to achieve technology and known-how which could enable it to develop a mass destruction capability. Until the discontinuation of the EU-Iran Critical Dialogue following the verdict in the so-called 'Mykonos Trial' in Berlin earlier this year, the Council also raised these questions with Iran itself.

The Council conducts a close dialogue with Syria, inter alia through its Special Envoy for the Middle East Peace Process. It encourages that country and Israel to continue their efforts to find a mutually acceptable basis for resuming the bilateral talks which were broken off in 1995.

The European Union is an active player in international efforts to prevent and counteract the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. It seeks universal adherence to relevant treaties: the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, the Chemical Weapons Convention, the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention, to which three treaties all Member States are Parties; the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, already signed and in the process of ratification by the EU Member States, as well as regional arrangements, etc. The Union also seeks to develop strengthened verification measures to ensure compliance with these treaties (IAEA safeguards, Biological and Toxin Weapons verification). At the same time, the Union seeks to counteract proliferation whenever it occurs.

Futhermore, the Honourable Member will note that all Member States of the Union are active members of all export control regimes: the Nuclear Suppliers Group, the Australia Group, the Missile Technology Control Regime and the Wassenaar Arrangement.

The Dual Use Regulation, accompanied by a Joint Action adopted in December 1994, requires Member States to impose export controls on all dual-use goods covered by these regimes.

Following the invitation of the European Council of 16-17 June 1997, and in the framework of the Common Foreign and Security policy, the Council is currently engaged in the follow-up to the common criteria to be applied to arms exports, identified in the conclusions of the European Councils of 29 June 1991 and 26-27 June 1992.

The EU Member States are therefore committed, both by international legally-binding instruments and political undertakings and by the European Union Regulation and Joint Action, to apply the strictest controls to all exports of arms and dual-use goods.

As to the countries mentioned by the Honourable Member, Syria, Iraq and Iran are parties to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Iran has signed the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty.

Iran is in the process of ratifying the Chemical Weapons Convention.