House of Commons Hansard Debates for 5 May 1993

Mr. Douglas Hogg : Meetings of the committee of senior officials are attended by representatives from each CSCE participating state, either its representative (normally an Ambassador) in Vienna or a senior official from its Foreign Ministry. The United Kingdom is normally represented by Mr. David Logan, an assistant under-secretary at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. By way of illustration a list of delegates at the committee of senior officials meeting in Prague from 2-4 February has been placed in the Library of the House.

Mr. Gill : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what are the locations of all the offices of the secretariat, the committee of senior officials and all other institutions of the CSCE.

Mr. Douglas Hogg : The main centre for CSCE institutions is Vienna where the following are located : the conflict prevention centre and its secretariat, the Vienna group of the committee of senior officials, the secretariat for the Forum for Security Co-operation and the secretariat facilities for the CFE treaty and open skies implementation group. The recently appointed secretary-general will also have his office in Vienna.

By tradition the committee of senior officials meets in Prague and is serviced by the CSCE secretariat there.

There are three other CSCE institutions : the CSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights is situated in Warsaw ; the office of the CSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities is in The Hague ; the Parliamentary Assembly of the CSCE has its office in Copenhagen.

Finally, the CSCE has resident preventative diplomacy missions in a number of conflict or potential conflict areas and sanctions assistance missions in countries neighbouring Serbia and Montenegro.

Mr. Gill : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the subsidiary working bodies, committees and structures established by the committee of senior officials of the CSCE together with the names and nationalities of their members.

Mr. Douglas Hogg : The Council of Ministers of the CSCE, meeting in Stockholm in December 1992, instructed representatives of participating states to meet regularly in Vienna between sessions of the committee of senior officials (CSO). This body is now known as the CSO Vienna group.

Ad Hoc groups of all participating states may also be formed to deal with a specific task. These are then dissolved after their task has been completed. There are

Column 141

currently ad hoc groups dealing with the management of CSCE resources and with CSCE structures and institutions. A group will shortly be established to consider the legal status of CSCE institutions.

An informal financial committee of experts meets as and when required to review the budgets proposed for CSCE institutions and activities and to make recommendations to the CSO.

Sudan

Mr. Worthington : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Government of the Sudan about the arrest, detention, and release of members of the Umma party in Sudan in April.

Mr. Douglas Hogg : We raised with the Sudanese the brief detention in April of Sadiq al-Mahdi, leader of the Umma party, and we shall continue to monitor cases of arbitrary arrest in the Sudan.

India

Mr. Keen : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Indian Government on behalf of Mr. Pritam Sing Kang and his case of mistaken identity at New Delhi airport.

Mr. Lennox-Boyd : The High Commission in New Delhi was not contacted at the time and has no trace of the incident, but has written twice to the foreigners regional registration officer requesting a report. It has not so far received a reply.

The Indian authorities alone decide who may or may not enter Indian territory and we have no standing to challenge their decision.

North Korea

Mr. Parry : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the decision of North Korea to withdraw from the non-proliferation treaty.

Mr. Douglas Hogg : The United Kingdom is determined to maintain and strengthen the non-proliferation treaty. We deeply regret the announcement by North Korea on 12March of their intention to withdraw from the Treaty. With the Treaty's other co-depositaries and with our European partners we have urged North Korea to reconsider their position. We are now participating actively in discussions in the United Nations Security Council aimed at ensuring North Korea's compliance with their treaty obligations.

Gibraltar

Mr. David Young : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the procedure necessary to provide for the election by Gibraltar of a member of the European Parliament ; and what is the Government's policy on this issue.

Mr. Garel-Jones : Gibraltar does not participate in elections to the European Parliament. We have no plans to change this situation. Annex II of the EC Act on Direct Elections of 1976 limits the franchise for elections to the European Parliament to the United Kingdom.

Column 142

Entry Clearance

Mrs. Roche : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the estimated cost of the proposed monitoring officer examining refusals of entry clearance where there is no right of appeal.

Mr. Lennox-Boyd : It is too early to make firm costings.

Council of Ministers

Mr. Booth : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish a statement of forthcoming business in the European Community's Council of Ministers.

Mr. Garel-Jones : The following meetings are planned :

4 May : Industrial Affairs Council

10 May : Telecommunications Council

10-11 May : Foreign Affairs Council

11 May : Foreign Affairs/Gulf Cooperation Council

17 May : Cultural Affairs Council

24-25 May : Agricultural Council

25 May : Development Council

27 May : Health Council

The following subjects are likely to be discussed :

(a) Industrial Affairs Council--4 May

Restructuring of the steel industry of the Community

ECSC Treaty

Industrial competitiveness and environmental protection State Aid for ship building

Maritime industries

Small and medium sized enterprises. Community measures to intensify and ensure the continuity of a policy for enterprise.

(b) Telecommunications Council--10 May

European Telecommunications Equipment Industry (8304/92 ; 5704/92) Telecommunications Services Review

Open network provision voice telephoning directive (8840/92) Postal services Green paper

Introduction of Advanced Television Services (6242/92)

Development of Technology and Standards in the Advanced Television Sector

Trade Policy Questions

Relations with the EP

Commission report on access to information

Russia

Central and Eastern Europe

Ex-Yugoslavia

Preparation of EC/ACP Ministerial--17-18 May

Preparation of EC/GCC Ministerial

Preparation of OECD Ministerial : trade and environment (d) EC/Gulf Co- operation Council--11 May

Implementation of the Co-operation Agreement

Exchange of views on the development of economic relations between the countries of the GCC and the Community

Report of Joint Co-operation Committee to the Joint Co-operation Council on the implementation of the Co-operation Agreement Exchange of views on developments in the two regions :

Gulf Co-operation Council

European Community

Exchange of views on questions of political interest

(e) Cultural Affairs Council--17 May

European Cultural Month 1995

The Media Programme

The Artemis Programme

Draft resolution to create a scheme for the translation of dramatic works

Future work on books and reading

(f) Agriculture Council--24-25 May

Price fixing

Milk

Sugar

Cereal Quality

GATT

Column 143

Potatoes

CAT reform

Portuguese wine distillation

(g) Development Council--25 May

Development Co-operation in the run-up to 2000

Human rights, Democracy and Development

Population Policy Family planning

Emergency Aid

Untying of Aid

Women in development

UNCED follow-up

The Special EC initiative for Africa

(h) Health Council--27 May

Resolution of future actions in the field of public health Conclusions on reduction of consumption of tobacco

Policy debate on tobacco advertising

Conclusions on "Europe against AIDS" programme

Conclusions on "Europe against Cancer" programme (poss) Conclusions on "Smoking in Public Places"--(5867/93)

The Industrial Affairs Council will meet on 4 May and will discuss restructuring of the steel industry of the Community ; ECSC Treaty ; Industrial competitiveness and environmental protection. Ministers will also discuss state aid for shipbuilding and maritime industries. There will be a policy discussion on small and medium sized enterprises.

The Telecommunications Council will meet on 10 May to attempt to reach a common position on ONP voice telephony. Adoption of Council conclusions on the Commission Communication on the European Telecommunication Equipment Industry will be sought. Ministers will seek to adopt the proposed decision on the introduction of advanced television services. Adoption is also sought on the proposed Council resolution on the development of Technology and Standards in the Advanced Television Sector. The Postal Services Green paper is also scheduled for discussion.

The Foreign Affairs Council will meet on 10-11 May. EC Foreign Ministers will consider Trade Policy Questions ; relations with the EP ; Commission report on access to information. Ministers will also consider Russia ; Central and Eastern Europe and Ex-Yugoslavia. The Foreign Affairs/Gulf Cooperation Council will meet on 11 May to discuss the implementation of the Cooperation agreement. Ministers will also exchange views on developments in the two regions and on questions of political interest.

The Cultural Affairs Council will meet on 17 May. The agenda has not yet been finalised, but the European Cultural Month 1995, the media programme, and the Artemis programme are likely to be discussed. There may also be a draft resolution to create a scheme for the translation of dramatic works. Future work on books and reading may also be discussed.

The Agricultural Council will meet on 24-25 May. Ministers will discuss price fixing ; milk, sugar ; cereal quality ; GATT ; potatoes ; CAP reform and Portuguese wine distillation.

The Development Council is planned for 25 May. The agenda has not yet been finalised, but development Cooperation in the run-up to 2000 ; Human Rights --Democracy and development ; and Population Policy--family planning are likely to be discussed. Emergency Aid, Untying of Aid and women in development are also likely to be discussed. Ministers may also discuss UNCED follow-up and the "Special EC initiative for Africa".

The Health Council will meet on 27 May to discuss a resolution on future actions in the field of public health. Ministers will discuss the draft decision on the cancer programme which notes the Commission's report on the effectiveness of action undertaken in the "Europe Against Cancer" programme over the past five years. Ministers will discuss the conclusions on "Europe against AIDS" programme and the conclusions on reducing smoking in the Community which stress the importance of price as a mechanism to reduce tobacco consumption. The conclusions on smoking in public places will also be discussed.

UN Register of Conventional Arms Transfers

Mr. Booth : To the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs by what date the Government submitted to the United Nations' Secretary General a

Column 144

return from the United Kingdom to the UN register of conventional arms transfers in New York ; and if he will place a copy of the return in the Library.

Mr. Douglas Hogg : We submitted our first return to the UN Register to the UN Secretary General on 30 April. It covers major arms imports and exports during the calendar year 1992. A copy has been placed in the Library of the House.

Next Section

Home Page