4 Osborne Place
Palmersville
Newcastle-upon-Tyne
NE12 9EY
(29/03/00)

7 Palmersville
NE12 9HN

Dear Mr Byers

Thank you for your letter of 27th of March 2000 in which you enclosed a letter from Foreign Secretary Robin Cook, dated the 21st.  In this letter, Robin Cook fails to give the full story regarding George Galloway’s flight to Iraq. Mr Galloway’s version of events is slightly different to Mr Cook’s, and fits the reported events more closely. Rather than put Mr. Galloway’s position for him, I ask you to contact him in order to satisfy yourself as to the truth.

Regarding other matters covered by his letter, I ask that you put the following points to Mr Cook.

First of all, I wish to ask again for details of the 15 contracts blocked on 14th of January of this year.  I repeat my original request for the reasons given by US and UK delegates for blocking these contracts, and also an answer to why the officials in Baghdad and New York were overridden.  Mr Cook’s general statement regarding holds on humanitarian supplies, while of interest, does not answer these specific questions.

I am also very concerned about Mr Cook’s criticism of Mr von Sponeck, and would like to see some evidence of his alleged incompetence.  I would like to see a statement from his UN superiors regarding Mr von Sponeck’s ability to do the job (as opposed to a UK minister criticising his personal views).

This matter also begs the question why, if Mr von Sponeck’s competence was in question from very early on, he was allowed to take on the job?  As Mr Cook says, the job needs someone ‘committed to making the most of the humanitarian programme in the interests of the Iraqi people’.  The UN’s alleged failure to immediately suspend an incompetent official suggests the Iraqi people’s health is not a UN priority.  Mr Cook’s assertions obviously undermine Mr von Sponeck, but they equally undermine the competence and integrity of the UN.  However, there is overwhelming evidence that the UN is committed to Human Rights and the Iraqi people.  On the other hand, there is a lack of evidence of von Sponeck’s incompetence.  I have seen only Mr Cook’s letter, and a statement by James Rubin.  The FCO and James Rubin have mislead and lied to the public on Iraqi sanctions in the past, so the validity of their claims is not to be taken for granted.  (For examples of this, I refer you to ‘http://www.scn.org/ccpi/UnandUSreports.html’ – a report by Bert Sacks of VitW, and also the numerous publications I dropped off at your constituency office.  I am sure that you are also aware of John Pilger’s recent article ‘yet again they are lying to us’ published in the New Statesman).

To summarise; I would like from the FCO the following;

Reasons given for blocking the 15 medical contracts on 14th January

Reasons given for overriding the UN officials in New York and Baghdad on 14th January

A statement by Hans von Sponeck’s UN superiors regarding his incompetence

A general statement in response to accusations of lying by Peter Hain MP, Robin Cook MP and James Rubin of the US State Dept.

Yours sincerely

Ronan Dodds

Cc: George Galloway MP, Tam Dalyell MP, David Winnick MP
 

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