| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
Iran
34. Mr. John Marshall: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about relations between Britain and Iran. [35195]
Mr. Hanley: We restored relations with Iran on 27 September 1990.
We and our European Union partners made it clear at Edinburgh in December 1992 that improvements in Iran's behaviour, particularly on human rights, the fatwa on Mr. Rushdie and terrorism, would be important in determining the extent to which closer relations and confidence in Iran could be developed. Our approach remains unchanged.
Rev. Martin Smyth:
To ask the Secretary of State for
10 Jul 1996 : Column: 220
Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate he has made of the threat of Iranian-sponsored terrorism in respect of United Kingdom personnel abroad. [35344]
Sir Nicholas Bonsor:
We remain alert to the threat to UK interests from Iranian-sponsored terrorism both in the United Kingdom and overseas and take all appropriate precautions against that threat.
35. Mr. Pawsey:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth affairs when he last met the Chinese ambassador to discuss Hong Kong. [35196]
Mr. Hanley:
My right hon. and learned Friend the Foreign Secretary last met Jiang Enzhu on 15 February. Our discussions with the Chinese authorities on Hong Kong issues take place at various levels in capitals and elsewhere.
Mr. Callaghan:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many Vietnamese boat people are currently living in camps in Hong Kong; and what is his policy on their future. [36275]
Sir Nicholas Bonsor:
On 1 June 1996 there were 18,125 Vietnamese living in camps in Hong Kong. This includes 1,347 refugees, for whom the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees is responsible, 332 people undergoing screening to determine whether they are genuine refugees, and 16,446 non-refugees whose future lies in Vietnam. It remains our objective to complete the repatriation of non-refugees before the transfer of sovereignty over Hong Kong.
Mr. Callaghan:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he next intends to visit Hong Kong; and if he will make a statement. [36277]
Sir Nicholas Bonsor:
My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs visited Hong Kong in January and looks forward to visiting again before too long. His travel plans are not yet firm.
36. Mr. Morgan:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on British relations with the Yemen. [35197]
Mr. Hanley:
We enjoy good relations with Yemen. The recent successful visit of the Yemeni Foreign Minister to the United Kingdom, and mine to Yemen last year, demonstrated our mutual wish further to improve co-operation.
37. Mrs. Fyfe:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on recent events in Burma. [35198]
Mr. Hanley:
We remain deeply concerned about the situation in Burma. We issued a statement on 22 May. Our ambassador in Rangoon followed this up with a demarche to the State Law and Order Restoration Council on 7 June.
10 Jul 1996 : Column: 221
Together with our EU partners, we have consistently pressed the SLORC to work with Aung San Suu Kyi and Burma's other democratic groups to achieve national reconciliation and democratic reform. We shall continue to do so.
We make it clear to the SLORC that resumption of normal relations is conditional on progress in this and other key areas, including human rights.
38. Mr. Riddick:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his latest estimate as to when the current IGC will end. [35199]
Mr. David Davis:
There is no fixed timetable for the intergovernmental conference. But Heads of Government confirmed at the Florence European Council in June that the conference should end by mid-1997 if possible.
39. Mr. Spearing:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what arrangements are currently in place to enable the general public to be informed of the topics to be considered at each meeting of the Council of Ministers of the European Community. [35200]
Mr. David Davis:
Details of the topics to be discussed at forthcoming Council meetings are published in the Official Report on a monthly basis.
Mrs. Lait:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to ensure that the British Council and the private sector compete on an equal basis in respect of teaching English as a foreign language. [36141]
Sir Nicholas Bonsor:
The British Council does not teach English in this country and is not therefore in direct competition with English language schools in the UK. We try to ensure that so far as possible the Council's network of teaching centres overseas competes on an equal footing with the private sector by insisting that it operates on a self-funding basis and is not subsidised from the grants in aid from this Department.
Mr. Callaghan:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the involvement of his Department in the effort to reduce the illegal import of drugs from Colombia. [36278]
Sir Nicholas Bonsor:
The United Kingdom has provided over £13 million worth of drugs-related assistance to Colombia since 1989. This has included training and equipment for various Government Departments and agencies responsible for drug control. This Department's assistance has since 1993 focused on anti-drugs training for the Colombian anti-narcotics police. In recent weeks, this Department has paid for a course in container profiling to assist the detection of drugs in sea freight at the port of Barranquila and for the production of educational videos for use in drug prevention work in Medillin.
10 Jul 1996 : Column: 222
Mr. Callaghan:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the adequacy of current United Nations policies to combat drug abuse; and if he will make a statement. [36276]
Sir Nicholas Bonsor:
The United Kingdom strongly supports the leading role played by the United Nations drug control programme in co-ordinating the international fight against the scourge of drugs. We particularly support its regional and sub-regional approach, based on solid work at national level, and its efforts to promote greater focus on drug control issued in all relevant parts of the UN system. The United Kingdom is currently the third largest donor to the programme, to which three Government Departments, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the Overseas Development Agency and the Home Office, all contribute funds. UN drugs control projects funded by Her Majesty's Government are carefully monitored.
Mr. Callaghan:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he next plans to meet his opposite numbers in the Council of Europe. [36280]
Mr. David Davis:
My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs has no firm plans for a meeting with his opposite numbers in the Council of Europe. The next scheduled Council of Europe ministerial meeting is in Strasbourg on 6 and 7 November 1996.
Mr. Callaghan:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the British Council's promotion of British interests overseas. [36279]
Sir Nicholas Bonsor:
The British Council forms an integral part of the UK's overall diplomatic and aid effort overseas. Its activities are at a record level, with the Council operating 228 offices in 109 countries compared with 108 offices in 79 countries in 1980.
Mr. Nigel Griffiths:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress is being made as regards the arrest and extradition of indicted war criminals in the former Yugoslavia, with particular reference to Radovan Karadzic and Ratko Mladic. [35239]
Sir Nicholas Bonsor:
We have repeatedly called upon the parties to execute all arrest warrants issued by the international criminal tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, including those issued against Dr. Karadzic and General Mladic.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |