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UNHCR (Land Rovers)
Mr. Pendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about the proposed export of two armoured Land Rovers to the office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Belgrade in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. [69082]
Mr. Tony Lloyd: We have granted a licence for the export to the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY) of two armoured vehicles based on the Land Rover Defender 110 for use by UNHCR personnel. Given the key humanitarian role played by the UNHCR in the FRY, and the obvious need for the UNHCR to be able to protect staff serving with its office in Belgrade, including against land mines, we were glad to be able to approve this licence. The UN Sanctions Committee appointed under UNSCR 1160 has raised no objection to it.
Bosnia (Ballistic Undervest Export)
Mr. Rogers: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about the proposed export of a ballistic undervest to the European Community Monitoring Mission in Bosnia. [69083]
Mr. Tony Lloyd:
We have granted a licence for the export to Bosnia of a ballistic undervest for use by the
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Paymaster General at the European Community Monitoring Mission (ECMM) in Sarajevo. We were glad to approve this export licence in view of the obvious need for the ECMM to be able to protect its staff involved in international peace-keeping activities in the former Yugoslavia.
Mr. Andrew George:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his policy on the future of the Cornish language in relation the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. [68636]
Mr. Tony Lloyd:
The position of the Cornish language in relation to the Council of Europe's European Charter for Regional and Minority Languages has yet to be decided. It is a matter of domestic rather than foreign policy.
Mr. McNamara:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many and what
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percentage of EU citizens speak English as their first language; and how many and what percentage of EU citizens have been taught or have an elementary command of the English language. [67431]
Ms Quin:
According to the Eurobarometer survey, in November 1995 approximately 16-17 per cent. of EU citizens regarded English as their mother tongue. The same survey also shows that one EU citizen in three (of those who do not class English as their mother tongue) regarded themselves as able to hold a conversation in English. EUROSTAT's 1997 figures on foreign language teaching in the EU show that 26 per cent. of pupils in primary education and 90 per cent. of pupils in secondary school were taught English.
Mr. McNamara:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the recognised and minority languages of the EU in order of their estimated number of speakers. [67432]
Ms Quin:
There is no system for formally recognising languages within the EU, beyond the 12 languages used for official business. A report prepared for the European Commission identified over 30 minority languages spoken within the EU. These are:
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(29) ca
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Dr. Marek:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to seek changes to EC law to permit amendment of Annex II of the 1976 legislative measure of the EEC on direct voting elections by majority. [68729]
Ms Quin:
I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave on 26 January 1999, Official Report, column 214.
Mr. McNamara:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the principal points of agreement of (a) the Contact Group-endorsed framework document and (b) the Holbrooke Package for Kosovo; if he will make a statement on progress towards the full implementation of each point; and if he will place copies of the documents in the Library. [67433]
Mr. Tony Lloyd:
As the statement issued at the end of the Contact Group Ministerial meeting in London on 29 January made clear, the Contact Group framework document is being further refined in advance of the planned meeting at Rambouillet. Putting the text as it stands into the public domain at this time would not help the search for a political settlement in Kosovo.
Copies of the agreements with the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia for the setting up of the OSCE ground verification mission and the NATO air verification mission have already been placed in the House Library. It is for NATO and the OSCE to assess compliance with these agreements and with the relevant Security Council Resolutions. To date, neither side is in full compliance.
My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary reported to the House on 1 February 1999, Official Report, columns 597-608, on the latest moves towards a negotiated settlement following the 29 January Contact Group meeting.
Mr. Maclean:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will deposit in the Library a copy of the four reports dispatched by the British Embassy in Madrid to his Department relating to Judge Garzon's investigations into Chile. [67956]
Mr. Tony Lloyd:
No. The four reports dispatched by the British Embassy in Madrid relating to Judge Garzon's investigation into Chile were internal communications between the Embassy and the Foreign and Commonwealth
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Office and also covered wider issues. On the specific question of Judge Garzon's investigations into Chile the reports were as follows:
12 November 1997: in the context of reporting developments in the case of Adolfo Scilingo a reference to the fact that Garzon's next step might be to issue warrants against Chileans (unnamed).
23 January 1998: a further report on actions against Scilingo, where the Public Prosecutor of the Audiencia Nacional had ordered Garzon to close the file. The report mentioned that investigations of Chileans, including Pinochet, continued.
15 October 1998: a report indicating that Garzon wished the Commission Rogatoire to be processed quickly and that what he had in mind was issuing an international arrest warrant. The report says nothing on timing of the warrant.
16 October 1998: a comment on the previous day's report, clarifying that the intention was possibly to issue a warrant while Pinochet was in the UK, but without specifying timing.
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