Seanad debates
Thursday, 6 February 2003
Iraq Crisis: Statements (Resumed).
It is important to focus on resolution 1441. Deputy Michael Higgins has spoken about its interpretation and said some eminent people would get together quickly to discuss the issue, as well as the role of Iraq's neighbours in the region and the Arab league, the question of ending sanctions and the fact that Iraq would do everything to facilitate the weapons inspectors. Names mentioned by him include Nelson Mandela; former US President, Jimmy Carter; Archbishop Tutu; former President and UN High Commissioner, Mary Robinson. The Ministers we met in Jordan, after leaving Iraq, were very interested in this proposal. They referred to the fact that there had been assistance for Ireland when the Northern Ireland peace agreement was being negotiated and that people such as George Mitchell and our colleagues from Canada and Scandinavia were and are still involved in the decommissioning process.
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