WRITTEN QUESTION E-2440/02

by Erik Meijer (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(28 August 2002)

Subject: Discrimination against Kurdish northern Iraq in relation to the Baghdad regime in the implementation of the UN oil-for-food programme

1. Is the Commission aware that the oil-for-food programme for Iraq which is being carried out on the basis of UN resolution no 986 of 1996 is being implemented in such a way as to adversely affect the Kurdish part of Iraq north of the 36th parallel which is not controlled by Saddam Hussein, because so far, of the oil which has been sold from this region, to the value of USD 7 billion, only USD 2,5 billion has been spent on Iraqi Kurdistan, while of the medicines ordered by the Kurds, valued at USD 219 million, only goods to the value of USD 92 million have actually arrived, because the rest of the money remains unused in a Swiss bank account?

2. Does the discrimination against Iraqi Kurdistan in relation to the part of Iraq controlled by Saddam Hussein arise from agreements between the UN and the Iraqi regime dating from 1991, as a result of which the Baghdad government is permitted to disburse its share of the money autonomously whereas Kurdish administrative bodies may only advise the United Nations on the use of their share?

3. Can the Baghdad government veto UN expenditure in northern Iraq and thus, inter alia, prevent the building of a hospital?

4. Are there agreements under which the North can only purchase its electricity via the regime in Baghdad, so that the latter can always threaten to cut off supplies?

5. Are the salaries of a growing number of highly paid UN staff in this region paid from the northern share of the revenue from the oil-for-food programme, and are these UN staff not permitted to speak to the press without the prior consent of the government in Baghdad?

6. Is the Commission aware that, as a result of the use by Saddam Hussein's regime of chemical weapons against the Kurdish population in 1989 around the town of Halabja in northern Iraq, the mosquito population has grown substantially, with the consequence that the incidence of malaria is increasing, but that the United Nations is not supplying any anti-malaria medicines because they could be used to make chemical weapons?

7. How can the EU and its Member States help to improve the position of the inhabitants of northern Iraq, inter alia by making the 13 % from the oil-for-food programme available directly?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(16 October 2002)

The Commission is aware of the dramatic humanitarian situation affecting the Iraqi people. In this regard, since the activities of the Commission in Iraq are limited to the provision of humanitarian aid through an annual programme prepared by the European Community Humanitarian Office (ECHO), and implemented locally through some non-governmental organisations, and organisations such as Red Cross, United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (Unicef) and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). At the moment the Commission, does not have either a representation office in Iraq or experts established locally. The United Nations (UN) is only responsible for the management and the implementation of the oil for food programme.

Commission officers and experts who recently went to Iraq have confirmed that the humanitarian situation is extremely serious, and that living conditions in the Centre and South are much worse than in the North. For this reason the ECHO programme targets only the Centre and the South of Iraq; an extension of the intervention to the North could be envisaged especially for the assistance to the Internally Displaced People.

Coming to the specific questions addressed, here are the related answers:

1. The Commission is aware that the oil for food programme in Kurdish northern Iraq is implemented following different modalities with respect to the centre/south of country, with a direct involvement of the UN. According to United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolution No 986, the Iraqi Kurdistan benefits 13 % of the total Iraqi oil revenue, wherever the oil is produced.

2. The different modalities for implementation of the oil for food programme have been established by the Memorandum of Understanding of November 96 between the UN and Iraq on the implementation of the UNSC Resolution 986. This agreement sets the terms and conditions for the delivery of necessary goods to the three governorates of the Iraqi Kurdistan and ensures that this region receive consistent part of the supplies.

3. According to the Memorandum of Understanding of November 96, the central government does not have the right to veto UN expenditure in Northern Iraq. The necessary goods to fulfil the humanitarian needs of Northern Iraq are assessed by the UN through the regional governments, discussed with the central Iraqi government and included in the distribution plan.

4. The Commission is not aware of the existence of specific agreements between Baghdad government and Kurdish governments for the purchase of electricity.

5. According to the Memorandum of Understanding of November 96, there are no provisions indicating that UN staff dislocated in the Iraqi Kurdistan should be paid from the northern share of the oil for food revenue. The Commission is not aware of other similar arrangements.

6. The Commission is not aware of the problems related to the supply of anti-malaria medicines. The UN Security Council is competent for giving the approval to all goods imported by Iraq. Member States rather than the Commission are the competent ones to address this question to the UNSC.

7. If the Member States consider that the management of the oil for food programme should be modified, they can take the necessary steps to propose these modifications to the UN Security Council.