 Royal Marines secured parts of southern Iraq |
British Royal Marines have averted "catastrophic ecological damage" in the Gulf by securing oil fields in Iraq's al-Faw peninsula, Geoff Hoon has said. The defence secretary said it had been feared that Iraqis would open up the pumps and pour oil into the Gulf, causing devastation for adjacent countries.
In a statement to the House of Commons on Friday, Mr Hoon said up to 30 oil wells had been set alight by the Iraqi regime and efforts were now continuing to secure other parts of the oil fields.
The Royal Marines' success came as the Liberal Democrats warned that war against Iraq could create an environmental disaster in the Gulf on "an unprecedented scale".
 There has been a long held concern that the Iraqis might open the pumps and pour oil into the Gulf  |
Environment spokesman Norman Baker said the current crisis could take destruction caused by the last conflict "to new levels". In a dossier, the Lib Dems detail possible pollution levels and warn that care must be taken during warfare to protect the environment.
The document warns of:
Burning oil wells which would belch 850,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide every day. Six million to eight million barrels of oil being leaked into the environment. Oil contamination covering 200 hectares of land. Raw sewage entering fresh water supplies. Damage to 33 Iraqi wetlands of international significance. Mr Baker said: "The Gulf region is facing an environmental disaster. The previous conflict saw environmental damage on an unprecedented scale.
"With Saddam Hussein personally threatened, this conflict will take that destruction to new levels.
"Article 55 of the Geneva Convention is clear.
"Care must be taken in warfare to protect the natural environment. If a war starts, all sides must respect the requirements of the Geneva Convention.
"Conflict must be conducted in a manner that doesn't damage the environment any further than necessary.
Mr Baker stressed: "The environment is often the long-term casualty of the war.
 Baker: Environment 'long-term casualty of war' |
"Whilst thoughts will be focused on the military and political strategy, the danger is that the environmental impact of war will be sidelined with the repercussions of its destruction felt for generations." But Mr Hoon said British troops were "trying to ensure that the oil fields are not used to damage the environment".
"We have had a very early, very significant success in securing the al-Faw peninsula," he told the BBC's Five Live.
"The reason for that is that there are pumping stations there and there has been a long held concern that the Iraqis might open the pumps and pour oil into the Gulf, causing catastrophic ecological damage to a number of countries adjacent to the Gulf.
"That success by British Royal Marine forces has meant that that ecological disaster has been averted.
"Obviously other efforts are being made to secure other parts of the oil fields. Can I emphasise that those efforts are continuing."
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