MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD BY YOUR REPS, AND LET'S TALK

Thank you for taking the time to write to Senator Alston with your concerns
to Iraq.

Iraq's pursuit of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) is not a new concern.
For the last twelve years the Security Council has repeatedly called on Iraq
to destroy its weapons of mass destruction and to verify this destruction by
cooperating with UN weapons inspectors. For almost twelve years Iraq has
repeatedly frustrated and obstructed this process.

When the UN weapons inspection agency left Iraq in 1998, inspectors were
unable to account for a significant number of items related to WMD programs.
More worryingly, for a period from 1998 to late 2002 there was no United
Nations monitoring or inspections in Iraq. There is strong evidence that
Iraq has been using this opportunity to continue its efforts to develop
chemical, biological and nuclear weapons and their means of delivery.

A great deal of this evidence on Iraq's weapons of mass destruction
activities is available publicly, including via the Department of Foreign
Affairs and Trade website (http://www.dfat.gov.au).

The United Nations Security Council, in Resolution 1441, unanimously decided
to give Iraq one final opportunity to give up its WMD programs and do so
peacefully. Australia fully supports that process. Indeed we urged a number
of countries to back passage of UNSCR 1441, and the Australian Government
has provided support to UN weapons inspections.

Australia cannot afford for the issue of Iraq's WMD to be papered over.
Iraq's possession of WMD poses a threat to its neighbours. We have an
important stake in the stability of the Middle East, not least because much
of the world's trade passes through the region. Australia also shares a
regional concern in the Asia Pacific to avoid the proliferation of WMD. And
we are concerned that letting Iraq off the hook will signal to other
countries of concern that obduracy and evasion of international disarmament
obligations can succeed.

The deployment of Australian defence force troops to the Middle East is a
sensible precaution should military action eventuate and should Australia
decide to participate. This does not mean we have given up on the UN
process: on the contrary, Australia remains fully committed to that process.
The Security Council should remain the key forum for considering whatever
further steps may be necessary to ensure Iraq is disarmed of WMD. It is our
hope that stepping up the military pressure on Iraq will improve cooperation
with UN weapons inspectors. Iraq has acquiesced so far with the inspection
process largely because of the threat of military force. By maintaining the
pressure on the regime of Saddam Hussein, we make it more likely that a
diplomatic outcome will be achieved.

In their report to the Security Council on 27 January, the heads of United
Nations Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC) and the
International Atomic Energy Agency continued to point to the lack of Iraqi
cooperation by Iraq. As UNMOVIC Chairman Blix said in his briefing to the
Security Council, "Iraq does not appear to have come to genuine acceptance,
not even today" of the need to disarm. On matters of substance, the UNMOVIC
report in particular noted serious unresolved questions about, among other
things, Iraq's efforts to produce VX, one of the worlds most lethal chemical
agents; Iraq's failure to explain discrepancies in the accounting of 6,500
chemical munitions; unaccounted for biological growth material which could
be used in the production of up to 5000 litres of anthrax; and Iraq's
efforts to produce missiles of a range exceeding limits allowed for by the
UN.

It is now up to the Security Council to discuss next steps and further
meetings of the Council are expected over the next few weeks. We hope that a
peaceful solution can still be found. But we cannot however allow this issue
to go unresolved. After 12 years of obduracy and non-cooperation the
international community must act to decisively to eliminate the threat posed
by Iraq's pursuit of WMD. If we do not act today, we may come to regret our
inaction tomorrow.

As the issues you have raised fall within the jurisdiction of the Hon
Alexander Downer, Minister for Foreign Affairs, I have also forwarded your
e-mail to that office, but if you wish to canvass these issues further
please do so directly to that office via:

telephone: 02 627 7500

facsimile: 02 6273 4112

email: [email protected]

internet page: www.dfat.gov.au.