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Michael D. Higgins to visit Iraq next week

category national | miscellaneous | news report author Thursday January 16, 2003 21:03author by LY

The Labour Party Spokesperson on Foreign Affairs, Deputy Michael D. Higgins will visit Iraq next week. The delegation will depart for Iraq next Wednesday and hopes to meet a number of political and non-Governmental representatives while there.

The Labour Party Spokesperson on Foreign Affairs, Deputy Michael D. Higgins will visit Iraq next week along with Fianna Fáil Senator, Micheal Kitt as part of the Oireachtas Foreign Affairs Committee delegation. The delegation will depart for Iraq next Wednesday and hopes to meet a number of political and non-Governmental representatives while there.

Deputy Higgins said that he hopes to meet political representatives from the Iraqi ministries of Health, Resources and Foreign Affairs. It is intended that the delegation will also have discussions with non-Governmental and aid agencies who are working in Iraq as well as those responsible for the UN weapons inspections.

“We also hope to visit Jordan to meet members of the Jordanian parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee to discuss the threat of war in the region. In Iraq, we will seek an update on the impact that the economic sanctions are having on the Iraqi people, especially women and children”, he said.

“I have visited Iraq twice previously, prior to the Gulf War and also just over a year ago to assess political and economic conditions there”, he said.

Deputy Higgins emphasised the need for the assertion of the politics of diplomacy in what appeared to some as the inevitable build up towards war. He said the imposition of war in Iraq, which has already been weakened by sanctions and infrastructural damage would be catastrophic.

Michael D. Higgins said he and Senator Kitt would be reporting back to the Oireachtas Foreign Affairs Committee about their first-hand experiences during the visit.


Related Link: http://www.labour.ie/press/detail.tmpl?SKU=20030116152943

Comments (6 of 6)

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author by iosaf jedi of the long long memory ( i inherited it)publication date Thu Jan 16, 2003 21:37author address author phone

you´re not the only higgins on the stage!

you could report back to us you know.
or i could do that for you.
where exactly will you be staying in Iraq?
will you bring the mobile?
great tie collection.
I remember you when I was a buaichaill, doing the local version of Tony Benn.
But when we had real problems we´d invite Tony Benn over. Great leftwing MP/TD act.

don´t forget there´s more Higgins to call on this time.

author by Alanpublication date Fri Jan 17, 2003 12:16author address author phone

My computer spell-check wanted to change his name to Michael D. Higgledy-Piggedly. Very appropriate, but well done Michael.

author by iosafoasiffisoapublication date Fri Jan 17, 2003 15:26author address author phone

that´s terrible.
what happens to cryptography with spellcheck?
did Paddy Kavanagh have spellcheck?
did James Joyce have spellcheck?
spellcheck.
tsk tsk.
:-)

author by khvfyyld fjv 54hpublication date Fri Jan 17, 2003 16:32author address author phone

Michael D. really thinks that he is the Irish Tony Benn!

Michael, what will you do if the UN support the bombing of Iraq? you're righly bolloxed then!

If you are really left-wing why are a memmber of a big business party? Labour are nothing but sell-out fuckers

author by Labour haterpublication date Fri Jan 17, 2003 16:40author address author phone

They should really call Labour Youth "the New Labour Youth"

I remember when Labour Youth were actually active on the issues, they atually had members, and those members were not just careerists.

Currently LY is a small collection of careerists. They only have 30 active members nationwide, and they are mainly in the Universities!!!

If there are any LY people out there I'll give you a little history lesson. In the 1980s LY supported the Militant Tendency and the struggle to recalim the Labour Party. As a result LY was abolished, Militant expelled, and LY was reconstituted with more control from HQ. You are now a shadow of your former selves.

author by I hate Labour sell outspublication date Fri Jan 17, 2003 17:40author address author phone

Hopefully the Americans drop a bomb on that labourite sell out bastard. If they did I would support that war.



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