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Bangladesh (British High Commissioner)
Mr. Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he intends to announce the name of the new British High Commissioner in Bangladesh. [70400]
Mr. Tony Lloyd: We aim to announce Ambassadorial, Governor and High Commissioner appointments three months before the appointment is taken up. In the case of Dhaka, the present High Commissioner, Mr. David Walker, is due to leave post towards the end of 1999.
Migration and Visa Correspondence Unit
Mr. Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last visited the Migration and Visa Correspondence Unit. [70399]
Mr. Fatchett: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has not visited the Migration and Visa Correspondence Unit (MVCU). However, my noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Baroness Symons, who has responsibility for entry clearance matters, last visited MVCU in May 1997. My noble Friend also has regular contact with MVCU about specific visa cases, and addresses Entry Clearance training courses.
Departmental Asset Sales
Mr. Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the items sold by his Department, its agencies and associated public bodies from those listed in the National Assets Register of November 1997; if he will give in each case the amount of money realised; if he will estimate the total cash raised from such sales to date; and if he will make a statement. [70410]
Mr. Fatchett [holding answer 11 February 1999]: The National Assets Register published in November 1997 gave details of asset holdings as at 1 April 1997. Since that date the FCO has sold 58 overseas estate assets and 181 vehicles. Details are as listed. Total proceeds amounted to £12.65m. Property sales in the pipeline are expected to realise a further £40m.
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Russia (Anti-semitism)
Mr. Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on anti-semitism in Russia. [70949]
Ms Quin: Her Majesty's Government share the wide public and parliamentary concern about recent anti-semitic statements in Russia. We have told the Russian authorities that racial intolerance and extremist political activities are wholly unacceptable and most recently last week I raised this with the Chairman of President Yeltsin's Commission on Human Rights. We look to the Russian government and the regional administrations to take firm action to deal with anti-semitism, and we welcome the strong condemnation of racial intolerance by President Yeltsin in November last year.
Mr. Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations were made to the Russian Government consequent upon anti-semitic attacks on Marina Roshcha synagogue and Vostryakovskoye cemetery last year. [70950]
Ms Quin: The British Ambassador in Moscow and, at our instigation, the EU Presidency, have made strong representations about the anti-semitism in Russia, but have not specifically referred to these attacks. We and our EU partners made clear to the Presidential Administration, the Communist leadership and the Duma that anti- semitism is wholly unacceptable. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary will reinforce these messages personally when he visits Russia. We welcome President Yeltsin's condemnation of the attack on the Marina synagogue.
Mr. Dismore:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Russian Government concerning statements on Zionism made in December 1998 by the leader of the Communist Party. [70951]
16 Feb 1999 : Column: 748
Ms Quin:
The British Ambassador in Moscow raised our concerns about anti-semitism in Russia with both the Presidential Administration and Mr. Zyuganov himself before the Communist leader's statement of 23 December. At our instigation, the EU Presidency in Moscow expressed EU concerns to Deputy Foreign Minister Gussarov on 28 January, and will follow up shortly with Mr. Zyuganov.
Mr. Dismore:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Russian Government on anti-semitism in Russia. [70948]
Ms Quin:
The British Ambassador made representations to the Presidential Administration on 3 December; the leader of the Communist Party, Gennady Zyuganov on 4 December; and Deputy Foreign Minister Avdeev on 15 January. At our instigation, the EU Presidency formally raised it with Deputy Prime Minister Gussarov on 28 January. I also expressed our concerns to President Yeltsin's Human Rights adviser, Professor Kartashkin, on 11 February. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary will raise this issue during his forthcoming visit to Russia.
Mr. Miller:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action he is taking to encourage the Thai Government to increase the security of refugee camps along the Burmese border during the current dry season Burmese military offensive. [70748]
Mr. Fatchett:
Following rumours of a possible Burmese attack on the Thai-Burma border, the British Embassy in Bangkok last week raised with the Thai authorities our concern for the security of refugees in the area. The Thais assured us that they were alive to the risk of dry season attacks and were taking measures to ensure the protection of refugees.
Mr. Miller:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action he is taking to put pressure on the Burmese military regime to cease ethnic cleansing actions against ethnic minorities in Burma. [70749]
Mr. Fatchett:
We have repeatedly made clear to the Burmese regime our deep concern at their human rights violations, particularly those of ethnic minorities. In December 1998, we co-sponsored a UN General Assembly resolution which strongly urges the SPDC to ensure full respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. We, and our EU Partners, are also working towards a tough resolution at the forthcoming session of the UN Commission on Human Rights. We will continue to take every opportunity to raise our concerns with the regime.
Dr. Tonge:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the dates of future meetings of Conventional Arms Working Group. [71066]
Mr. Tony Lloyd:
The next meeting of COARM will take place on 18 March. The final COARM of the German Presidency is scheduled for 26 May but this date may be changed in order to avoid clashing with a meeting of the Wassenaar Arrangement.
16 Feb 1999 : Column: 749
Dr. Tonge:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish the conclusions of the Conventional Arms Working Group meetings for December and January. [71048]
Mr. Tony Lloyd:
Applications for access to Council documents can be made to the General Secretariat of the Council, which suggests to the Council what action should be taken on individual applications.
There are no formal conclusions of CFSP Working Group meetings. The outcome of proceedings of the COARM meeting on 28 January 1999 can be applied for from the Council Secretariat, under Council Decision 93/731/EC on access to Council documents. There was no COARM meeting in December 1998.
Dr. Tonge:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish the agendas of the Council of Ministers' Conventional Arms Working Group working group meetings for December and January. [71047]
Mr. Tony Lloyd:
There was no COARM meeting in December 1998. The COARM meeting on 28 January discussed the implementation of the EU Code of Conduct on Arms Exports; prevention of illicit arms trafficking to and within the Great Lakes region; and controls exercised by Member States on the trafficking and brokering of arms.
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