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FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
Visa Applications
Mr. Gerrard: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many applications for visit visas have been refused at the high commissions in (a) Colombo, (b) Islamabad, (c) Delhi, (d) Accra and (e) Istanbul, and what proportion of total applications this represents, in each of the last four years, and in the current year to date. [61000]
Mr. Fatchett: The numbers of visit visas refused so far this year in (a) Colombo, (b) Islamabad, (c) Delhi, (d) Accra and (e) Istanbul are as follows:
| Issued | Refused | Percentage of total visit applications processed | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colombo | 11,950 | 427 | 3.4 |
| Islamabad | 32,429 | 6,249 | 16.2 |
| Delhi | 52,925 | 4,665 | 8.1 |
| Accra | 17,944 | 4,136 | 18.7 |
| Istanbul | 49,597 | 2,222 | 4.2 |
Global Entry Clearance Statistics for the years 1994-97 inclusive have recently been made available to the House of Commons Library. These contain the other information requested in respect of previous years.
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Pakistan
Mr. Andy King: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations Her Majesty's Government plans to make to the Pakistan Government following the murder of a family of nine Christians in Nowshera Peshawar. [61003]
Mr. Fatchett: We were deeply shocked by the murder of nine members of a Christian family near Peshawar. The murders have been condemned by the Government of Pakistan. We and our European Union partners regularly urge the Government of Pakistan to protect the rights of religious minorities in their country, most recently at a meeting between Pakistan and the EU Troika on 25 November.
Sara Barhandi
Mr. Woolas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress he has made in ascertaining the whereabouts of Sara Barhandi, who was abducted from her home on 15 August. [60996]
Mr. Fatchett: The precise whereabouts of Sara Barhandi remain unknown. Our Vice Consul has contacted Sara's relatives in Morocco but they did not disclose here whereabouts.
Sara is a dual British/Moroccan national. While she is in Morocco our Embassy has no formal locus to intervene. Consular staff will, however, continue to offer as much support to Sara's mother as they properly can and make informal inquiries with the Moroccan authorities.
Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
Mr. Bradshaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about the export of armoured vehicles for use by the US and British embassies in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and the export of armoured vehicles and other non-lethal military equipment to the Kosovo Diplomatic Observers Mission in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. [62007]
Mr. Tony Lloyd: The Government has allowed the export to the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY) of eight armoured Land Rovers, for use by the US Embassy in Belgrade, and a further two armoured Land Rovers and an armoured Rover saloon for use by the British Embassy in Belgrade. We attach the highest priority to ensuring the safety of staff and personnel at our Embassy in Belgrade, and we rightly recognise that other diplomatic missions, like the US Embassy in Belgrade, attach high priority to the protection of their staff. We were therefore glad to be able to allow these exports, which are not caught by arms embargoes against the FRY.
In advance of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe's establishment of the Kosovo Verification Mission (KVM), the Government have allowed also the export of up to 30 armoured Land Rovers and other essential and non-lethal military equipment for use by observers at the British Embassy in Belgrade (known as the Kosovo Diplomatic Observers Mission, or KDOM). It is clearly important that British and other staff at KDOM should be protected in the course of their duties which include monitoring the enforcement of the arms
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embargo against the FRY. These personnel will, in due course, become members of KVM. The UN Sanctions Committee has raised no objection to these exports.
Mrs. Gilroy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what new exceptions there have been to the arms embargo on Argentina. [62008]
Mr. Tony Lloyd:
Licences have recently been issued to allow the following exports:
These decisions represent exceptions but not changes to the arms embargo on Argentina, which remains in place unchanged.
Mrs. Gilroy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the forthcoming business in the Council of the European Union for December and the major European Union events for the next six months. [62009]
(a) two firearms (deactivated to Argentina specification) to a private individual in Argentina;
(b) nine sets of gun rings and smoke grenade launchers to be mounted on armoured personnel carriers in service with the Argentine contingent of the UN forces in Cyprus;
(c) re-export of radio equipment for the Argentine Gendarmeria after repair by the manufacturer in the United Kingdom;
(d) supply of radio equipment for the Argentina Gendarmeria.
| Business | ||
|---|---|---|
| December 1998 | ||
| 1 | Brussels | Transport Council (continuation from 30 November) |
| 1 | Brussels | ECOFIN Council |
| 1-2 | Brussels | Social Affairs Council |
| 1 | Brussels | Joint meeting of the ESA and ECOFIN Councils |
| 3-4 | Brussels | Justice and Home Affairs Council |
| 4 | Brussels | Education Council |
| 7 | Brussels | Internal Market Council |
| 7-8 | Brussels | General Affairs Council |
| 10 | Brussels | Research Council |
| 11-12 | Vienna | European Council |
| 14-16 | Brussels | Agriculture Council |
| 17-18 | Brussels | Fisheries Council |
| 21 | Brussels | Environment Council |
The following subjects are likely to be discussed:
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December 1: ECOFIN Council
Employment
Preparation for Stage 3 of EMU
Follow-up to the declaration of 2 May
Stability and convergence programmes
Agenda 2000
Taxes
December 1: Joint meeting of the Social Affairs and ECOFIN Councils
Report from the Presidency
Commission first draft of the 1999 Employment Guidelines (debate)
Joint report on Employment 1998 (adoption)
December 1 and 2: Social Affairs Council
Report from the Presidency on the preparation of the European Council (Vienna)
Commission first draft of the 1999 Employment Guidelines
Joint Report on Employment 1998 (debate)
Employment Rates Report
Draft Council Directive on employee involvement within the European Company--political agreement
Follow-up to the Beijing Conference on Women (the Council will take note of the annual Report)
Second phase of the Community vocational training programme Leonardo Da Vinci (legal basis: Article 127) (oral report from the Presidency)
Extension of 1408/71 (students and other insured persons) (political agreement)
Amended proposal for a Directive on the protection of workers potentially at risk from explosive atmospheres (legal basis: Article 118 A) (political agreement)
Proposal for a Council Decision relating to the Conclusion of an agreement between the EC and the Council of Europe (European Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia) (legal basis: Article 7(3) of Council Regulation No. 1035/97) (political agreement)
Amended proposal for a Council Directive amending for the second time Directive 90/394/EEC on the protection of workers from the risks related to exposure to carcinogens at work (legal basis: Article 118 A TEC) (political agreement)
Mid-term report on the Community programme concerning safety, hygiene and health at work (1996-2000) (debate)
Amended proposal for a decision on the promotion of European pathways for work-linked training, inc apprenticeships (legal basis: Article 127) (political agreement)
December 3 and 4: Justice and Home Affairs Council
Convention and protocol
Action plan to create an area of liberty, security and justice
Preparations for the entry into force of Amsterdam
Legal action on European solidarity
European migration strategy
Regulation on countries subject to visas
Enlargement: evaluation
Determination and classification of the Schengen legal situation
Incorporation of the Schengen information system in the EU legal framework
Progress report on work on the Convention on the admission of third-country nationals
Council Decision on monitoring the implementation of the instruments adopted in the field of asylum
Joint action on the approximation of legislation to combat counterfeiting (adoption)
Explanatory report on the Second Protocol to the Convention on the protection of financial interests (adoption)
Joint action on money laundering and confiscation
Joint action on combating corruption in the private sector (if not adopted in September)
Convention on mutual assistance in criminal matters
Revision of the Brussels and Lugano Conventions (progress report)
Rome II: Convention on the law applicable to non-contractual obligations (progress report)
Implementation of the CIS Convention
Driving disqualifications: explanatory report
Implementation of the joint action on synthetic drugs
Implementation of the joint action on the approximation of drug laws
Ratification of previous conventions (appeal to the Member States in line with recommendations 13 and 14 of the Action Plan and Cardiff follow-up)
Start-up report
Decision extending the mandate to terrorism
Document on the threat posed by terrorism
IRAQ: final report
Expert working party report on best practice
Report on measures to combat counterfeiting of the EURO
Council Resolution on the prevention of organised crime with reference to the establishment of a comprehensive strategy for combating it: adoption
OC annual report
Report to the European Council on implementation of the action plan to combat OC
Report on implementation of the Resolution on hooligans
Report on implementation of the Resolution of 18 December 1997 on priorities in the fields of justice and home affairs from 1 January 1998 until the entry into force of the Amsterdam Treaty
Article 18--Committee meeting (possible)
December 4: Education Council
Proposal for a European Parliament and Council decision establishing the second phase of the Community action programme "Socrates" (poss. common position)
Second phase of the Community vocational training programme Leonardo Da Vinci (legal basis: Article 127) (poss.) (common position)
Proposal for a Council decision adopting the third phase of the trans-European co-operation scheme for higher education (Tempus III) (poss. adoption)
(poss.) Action plan for the implementation of the Green Paper "Education, vocational training, research: obstacles to transnational mobility" (presentation by the Commission)
(poss.) Proposal for a Council recommendation on the statute of mobile students (included the transfer of Scholarships) (presentation by the Commission)
Report by the Commission on the implementation of pilot projects in the context of the objectives of the White Paper on education and training, "teaching and learning: towards the learning society" (presentation by the Commission and debate)
1999 National Employment Action Plans (debate)
December 7: Internal Market Council
European Company Statute
Free Movement of Goods--Intervention Mechanism
Proposal for an amending Directive concerning liability for defective products
Internal Market and Cardiff process of economic reform--presidency report
Proposal for a directive on certain legal aspects of electronic commerce (presentation by the Commission)
December 7-8: General Affairs Council
Agenda 2000
Enlargement
Preparation of Amsterdam Treaty Implementation
Russia
Human Rights: 50th Anniversary Celebration 10 December (poss.)
Preparation of the Vienna European Council
Asylum and Immigration Task Force
Council Working Methods
Western Balkans
Middle East Peace Process
Cuba
South Africa
Switzerland
Draft Regulation GSP for 1999-2000
Transatlantic Relations
December 10: Research Council
(poss.) Fifth EC RTD Framework programme (final adoption)
(poss.) Fifth Euratom Research Framework programme (final adoption)
(poss.) Fifth EC and Euratom Framework programmes--Specific programmes (final adoption)
(poss.) International Cooperation (poss. signature/conclusion of agreements with pre-accession CEECs and Cyprus, and other third countries)
December 11-12: European Council
No agenda yet available
December 14-16: Agriculture Council
No agenda yet available
December 17-18: Fisheries Council
Proposal for a Regulation setting TACs and Quotas for 1999 and related legislation (adoption)
(poss.) The Future of the Common Fisheries Policy (2002) (oral report by the Commission)
Council Regulation on the common organisation of the markets in the fisheries sector (presentation by the Commission)
(poss.) Funding of the collection of data of the common fisheries policy (presentation by the Commission)
Modification of Regulation 3699 on Structural Funds for Fisheries (IFOP) (presentation by the Commission)
December 21: Environment Council
(poss.) Draft proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and the Council amending directive 88/77/EEC on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to the measures to be taken against the emission of gaseous and particulate pollutants from diesel engines for use in vehicles (heavy goods vehicles) (common position)
Proposal for a European Parliament and Council Directive amending Directive 90/220/EEC on the deliberate release into the environment of genetically modified organisms (political agreement: EP Opinion expected in February)
(poss.) Proposal for a Council Directive on ozone-depleting substances (common position)
Proposal for a Council Decision on the monitoring of CO 2 emissions from passenger cars in the Community (common position)
Proposal for a Council Directive on the labelling of fuel consumption of passenger cars (common position)
Community strategy on climate change: follow-up to Buenos Aires (Council conclusions)
Proposal for a Council Directive on "end-of-life vehicles" (common position)
Note:
This calendar is primarily concerned with European Union matters, but certain other relevant events are also included. Events and dates quoted are based on the information available on the date of issue.
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