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FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Intergovernmental Conference

22. Mr. Whittingdale: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the progress achieved in the intergovernmental conference. [9254]

Mr. David Davis: Negotiations in the intergovernmental conference will continue under the Dutch Presidency on the basis of the draft revision of the treaties submitted by the Irish Presidency. The Dublin European Council reaffirmed the target of completing the IGC at the Amsterdam European Council.

Mr. Dykes: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the principal agreements of the Dublin European Union summit of 13 and 14 December; and, pursuant to the Prime Minister's oral statement on 16 December what public responses Her Majesty's Government have received on the summit conclusions on intergovernmental conference matters. [9784]

Mr. Davis: The principal agreements reached at the Dublin European Council were outlined by the Prime Minister in his statement to the House on 16 December, Official Report, columns 615-17, and are set out in full in the Presidency's conclusions, which have been placed in the Library of the House. There have been a number of public responses to the Dublin outcome, including the IGC conclusions.

27. Mrs. Bridget Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proposals on social policy are being discussed at the intergovernmental conference; and if he will make a statement. [9259]

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Mr. Davis: A number of proposals relating to social policy are under discussion in the intergovernmental conference.

Mr. Riddick: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proposals have been put forward at the intergovernmental conference to extend qualified majority voting. [9235]

Mr. Rifkind: Several member states have put forward proposals which involve extending the use of qualified majority voting in particular areas.

Poland

23. Mr. Harry Greenway: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the progress of Poland's applications to join NATO and the EEC. [9255]

Sir Nicholas Bonsor: NATO will decide at a summit in Madrid on 8 and 9 July which countries will be invited to open accession negotiations, and the European Commission's opinion on Poland's application to join the EU will happen later this year.

China

24. Mr. Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on Sino-British relations. [9256]

Mr. Hanley: Relations with China have recently shown good progress in many areas. Both countries attach importance to a successful transfer of sovereignty in Hong Kong later this year, and are continuing their efforts to achieve that end.

Israel

25. 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 Israel. [9257]

Mr. Hanley: Our relations with Israel remain good.

Serbia

26. Mr. Ainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last discussed the situation in Serbia with his EU counterparts. [9258]

Sir Nicholas Bonsor: My right hon. and learned Friend the Foreign Secretary last discussed the situation in Serbia with EU counterparts at the European Council in Dublin on 13 December last. We continue to monitor the situation and remain in constant contact with partners and allies.

Burma

28. Ms Glenda Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on Britain's relations with Burma. [9260]

Mr. Hanley: The UK maintains diplomatic relations with Burma. Through our embassy in Rangoon and our contacts with the Burmese embassy in London, we continue our policy of critical dialogue with the ruling State Law and Order Council--SLORC--with the aim of encouraging democratic reform and full respect for human rights in Burma.

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Mr. Bennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the steps taken by the Government to encourage an improvement in human rights and a respect for democracy in Burma.[9249]

Mr. Hanley: I refer the hon. Member to the oral answer that I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Glasgow, Maryhill (Mrs. Fyfe).

Brazil

29. Mr. Jacques Arnold: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on relations with Brazil. [9261]

Sir Nicholas Bonsor: Our relations with Brazil are excellent.

Former Yugoslavia

30. Mr. Soley: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress has been made in apprehending indicated war criminals in the former Yugoslavia. [9262]

Sir Nicholas Bonsor: Seven indictees are held in custody in The Hague. One more is awaiting extradition from Croatia. We strongly support the work of the International Criminal Tribunal and have committed significant resources to it.

NATO, Western European Union and Partnership for Peace

31. Mr. Viggers: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what are Her Majesty's Government's strategic proposals relating to the expansion of NATO, the Western European Union and Partnership for Peace. [9263]

Mr. David Davis: A NATO summit will be held on 8 and 9 July in Madrid. It will take a number of landmark decisions, including:

inviting one or more countries to begin accession negotiations;

finalising the arrangements for the establishment of a European security and defence identity in NATO;

strengthening partnership for peace and, we expect, launching the Atlantic Partnership Council as a new body for co-operation between NATO and other countries.

The Government's proposals for development of the Western European Union were made public in spring 1995.

Iraq

32. Mr. Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he has taken in the United Nations to address the situation of Iraqi citizens held hostage by the Government of President Saddam Hussein. [9264]

Mr. Hanley: We remain concerned about Iraqis detained in Iraq without trial. The UN Special Rapporteur, to whom Iraq denies access, has recorded the appalling human rights abuses of the Iraqi regime, including the absence of law. At the United Nations we regularly condemn Iraq's human rights record and will continue to do so.

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Cyprus (European Union Accession)

33. Mr. Hawkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he plans to take to encourage Cyprus' accession to the EU. [9265]

Mr. David Davis: A comprehensive political settlement of the Cyprus problem in 1997 will help to ensure the success of negotiations on accession to the EU. We are working hard with our European partners, the United States and others in supporting UN-led efforts to that end.

Embassies and Consulates

34. Mr. Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what new steps he is taking to improve the services and advice offered by United Kingdom embassies and consulates to United Kingdom businesses wishing to export. [9266]

Mr. Hanley: This Department and the Department of Trade and Industry will jointly launch measures later this month to simplify access to, and raise awareness of, our services to exporters. We have already established a unit to monitor and help improve the quality standards of the chargeable services carried out for exporters by overseas posts. We have also launched an initiative to enhance the professionalism of officials engaged in trade promotion through a programme of secondments and externally accredited qualifications.

United Nations

35. Mr. Clelland: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has held with other member states regarding the future of the United Nations. [9267]

Sir Nicholas Bonsor: We are in regular contact with other UN member states and in particular with our partners on the Security Council. We are working closely with the EU and other member states to revitalise the United Nations system and to ensure that we move towards a more modern and effective UN.

Indonesia and East Timor

36. Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Portuguese Government regarding the future of East Timor. [9268]

Mr. Hanley: We regularly discuss East Timor with the Portuguese Government. It was discussed by my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs during his meeting with the Portuguese Foreign Minister, Mr. Gama, in July last year. Her Majesty's Government continue to believe that dialogue between Portugal and Indonesia under the auspices of the UN Secretary General offers the best hope of finding a just, comprehensive and internationally acceptable settlement.

Mrs. Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what criteria his Department uses to determine whether defence equipment is likely to be used for internal repression in Indonesia and East Timor before granting export licences. [10717]

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Mr. Hanley: In judging whether defence equipment is likely to be used for internal repression, we draw on all the information available to us, including as appropriate the nature of the equipment, the technical capability and legitimate requirements of the end user and the current situation in the recipient country. Ministers evaluate this information with the advice, where necessary, of technical experts in appropriate Government agencies and of our missions overseas.

Mrs. Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will place in the Library a copy of the correspondence referred to in paragraph 40 of the National Audit Office report, "Aid to Indonesia", relating to aid proposals and defence sales. [10724]

Mr. Hanley: I shall write to the hon. Member shortly.

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