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Expedito Ribeiro de Souza

Mr. Battle : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what arrangements Her Majesty's Government are making for diplomatic representation at the trial for murder of trade unionist Expedito Ribeiro de Souza, taking place in Ri Mara, Para , Brazil, on 30 June.

Mr. Heathcoat-Amory : We plan that a member of the staff of Her Majesty's embassy in Brasilia will attend the trial for the murder of Expedito Ribeiro de Souza.

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Serbia

Mr. Meacher : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action he is taking to protest at the imprisonment and treatment of Vuk Draskovic, leader of the opposition in Belgrade, and at other infringements of human rights in Serbia.

Mr. Douglas Hogg : On behalf of the EC and its member states, the presidency delivered a demarch to the Serbian leadership protesting at the violence in Belgrade on 1 June and the arrest and beating of Mr. Draskovic and his wife. This matter was discussed by European Community Foreign Ministers at the General Affairs Council in Luxembourg on 8 June when it was agreed to send a further message expressing concern and asking for immediate release of Mr. and Mrs. Draskovic. Lord Owen also raised the case with President Milosevic during his visit to Belgrade on 9 and 10 June. We continue to monitor closely the human rights situation throughout the former Yugoslavia. The Conference on Security and co-operation in Europe and relevant human rights organisations are also actively involved.

Iraq

Mr. Wareing : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action Her Majesty's Government propose to take at the United Nations Security Council following the contravention of Security Council resolution 598 by Iran when launching air strikes against People's Mojahedin bases in Iraq on 25 May ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Douglas Hogg : I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Erdington (Mr. Corbett) on 7 June, Official Report , column 84 .

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