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EU Enlargement
Mr. Rammell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the progress of EU enlargement. [61397]
Ms Quin: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary gave earlier in the House today to the hon. Member for North Essex, (Mr. Jenkin), Official Report, column 660.
St. Helena
Mr. Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to restore full British citizenship to residents of the island of St. Helena. [61399]
Mr. Tony Lloyd:
The issue of British citizenship for residents of all UK Overseas Territories who do not already have it is a complex one. It is being considered sympathetically in the context of the current Review of UK Overseas Territories and the result will be published in the White Paper. We expect to publish the Paper early in the current session of Parliament.
1 Dec 1998 : Column: 161
Mr. Mitchell:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the remit is of the working group concerning proposed common principles for European elections; and if he will place in the Library the documentation relating to it. [61719]
Ms Quin:
The General Affairs Group is the standing Council working group responsible for institutional affairs. It was given a mandate to consider the European Parliament's proposed common principles for European parliamentary elections by the Committee of Permanent Representatives on 10 September 1998. I have placed a copy of the European Parliament's proposal in the Libraries of the House.
Mr. Gordon Prentice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last discussed with his Spanish counterpart the claim by Spain for sovereignty over Gibraltar. [61641]
Ms Quin:
The Brussels Process Communique of 27 November 1984 provides for the discussion of sovereignty over Gibraltar. The last Brussels Process talks took place in December 1997. The next meeting is due to be held early next year.
Mr. Gordon Prentice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received from Argentina concerning its claim for sovereignty over the Falklands. [61640]
Mr. Tony Lloyd:
The Government of Argentina have repeatedly asserted their view that Argentina has a claim to sovereignty over the Falkland Islands, and have called on us to enter into negotiations. In response, we have made it clear that the United Kingdom has no doubt about its sovereignty over the Falklands and does not regard this as negotiable. It remains our position that there will be no change in the status of the Falklands unless that is the wish of the Islanders themselves.
Mr. Wigley:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps the Government have taken in the last year to strengthen the implementation and enforcement of existing arms embargoes. [61484]
Mr. Tony Lloyd:
In his statement to the House on 27 July 1998, Official Report, columns 19-22, my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary announced the establishment of a Sanctions Enforcement Unit in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, with responsibility for co- ordinating FCO action with respect to the enforcement of all sanctions, including arms embargoes. The Sanctions Enforcement Unit also issues guidance to FCO departments and overseas missions on the scope of UN sanctions resolutions and the Orders in Council implementing them in UK legislation.
1 Dec 1998 : Column: 162
Mr. Wigley:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the next annual report on defence exports will contain a breakdown of licences refused. [61470]
Mr. Tony Lloyd:
I refer the right hon. Member to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham, Selly Oak (Dr. Jones) on 14 July 1998, Official Report, column 149.
Mrs. Gillan:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the talks between the United States and North Korea concerning the latter's nuclear programme. [61860]
Mr. Tony Lloyd:
The United States and North Korea meet regularly to discuss a range of issues, including North Korea's nuclear programme. The details of their discussions are a matter for the governments concerned.
Mrs. Gillan:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Governments of (a) North Korea, (b) South Korea and (c) the United States concerning North Korea's nuclear programme. [61859]
Mr. Tony Lloyd:
We regularly discuss North Korean nuclear issues with the US and South Korea, at both Ministerial and official level, bilaterally and collectively at meetings of the Korean Peninsula Energy Development Organisation. The UK does not have diplomatic relations with North Korea and no Ministerial talks have been held. Nuclear issues were discussed at official level in November 1997. The UK also intends to raise them in EU Troika and bilateral talks with North Korea on 2 and 3 December respectively.
Mrs. Gillan:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assistance the United Kingdom has offered to monitor the North Korean nuclear programme. [61861]
Mr. Tony Lloyd:
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is responsible for monitoring North Korea's adherence to its obligations under the Non- Proliferation Treaty. The UK fully supports the work of the IAEA through its contribution to that organisation.
In addition, the UK, through the EU, is strongly committed to the Korean Peninsula Energy Development Organisation (KEDO), as the best means of resolving the issue of nuclear proliferation on the Korean Peninsula. The EU is a member of the KEDO Executive Board, making a substantial contribution of 15 million ecu a year for five years, of which the UK share is some £1.7 million a year.
Mrs. Gillan:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for International Development concerning the continued provision of aid to Zimbabwe. [61862]
1 Dec 1998 : Column: 163
Mr. Tony Lloyd:
My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has regular meetings with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for International Development on a range of issues of mutual interest to our departments.
Mr. Randall:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Government of Pakistan concerning the status of Christians in that country. [61409]
Mr. Fatchett:
We and our EU partners regularly raise the status of Christians in Pakistan with the Government of Pakistan, most recently at a meeting of the EU Troika and Pakistan on 25 November. I raised our concerns for all religious minorities in Pakistan with the Interior Minister when I visited Pakistan last year, as did my noble Friend the Under Secretary in January of this year. As EU Presidency, we led a demarche on Pakistan's blasphemy laws on 14 May, and participated in a further demarche on 19 October.
Mr. Salmond:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much was spent on the purchase of alcoholic drinks by the United Kingdom embassy in France in 1996-97. [61698]
Ms Quin:
The Embassy itself does not purchase alcoholic drinks: they are bought by Embassy staff on an individual basis. Annual expenditure by individual members of staff on official entertainment does not distinguish between alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks and food. It is therefore not possible to say how much was spent on alcoholic drinks in any one year.
Mr. Syms:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what advice on security measures he intends to give to British Scouts, Guides and leaders who are to attend the World Scout Jamboree in Chile starting on 20 December. [61880]
Mr. Fatchett:
As of 1 December 1998 we advise against all non-essential travel to Chile. Our advice is intended for all British nationals.
British nationals making essential visits to Chile for more than a brief period are advised to register at the British Embassy, Santiago (tel: 231 3737, fax: 2342566) on arrival.
British nationals in Chile should keep a low profile, avoid crowds, meetings, demonstrations and areas where the English-speaking community usually gather.
Travel advice is reviewed daily.
Mr. Mitchell:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he expects to restore full diplomatic relations with Nigeria. [61384]
Mr. Tony Lloyd:
I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave earlier in the House today to my hon. Friend the Member for Vale of Glamorgan (Mr. Smith), Official Report, columns 670-71.
1 Dec 1998 : Column: 164
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