| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
British Council (Damascus)
Mr. Dalyell:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of
1 Mar 1999 : Column: 607
19 January 1999, Official Report, column 436, on the British Council property in Damascus, when he expects the costs of the damage to have been evaluated. [72891]
Mr. Fatchett:
The British Council estimate the cost of damage to their property in Damascus to be between £90,000 and £95,000.
Mr. Galloway:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 15 February 1999, Official Report, columns 583-84, on the engagements of the Minister of State, the right hon. Member for Leeds, Central (Mr. Fatchett), where the dinner with Next Century Foundation was held. [73149]
Mr. Fatchett:
The dinner was held at the Kuwaiti Ambassador's residence in London.
Mr. David Heath:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what measures of support for the Indonesian elections were agreed at the General Affairs Council on 21 and 22 February. [73756]
Mr. Fatchett:
A UK initiative for increased European Union funding for the Indonesian elections was approved. The European Commission is producing proposals for an assistance package worth 7 million euros.
Mr. David Heath:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he held with EU ministers at the General Affairs Council on 21 and 22 February on the subject of East Timor. [73757]
1 Mar 1999 : Column: 608
Mr. Fatchett:
Ministers discussed the latest developments in the talks on East Timor being held under United Nations auspices in New York.
Dr. Marek:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy not to refer to the Bay of Gibraltar as the Bay of Algeciras. [73408]
Mr. Laurence Robertson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Government of Vietnam regarding the treatment of Christians in that country; and if he will make a statement. [73637]
Mr. Fatchett:
We are deeply concerned about reports of religious persecution in Vietnam. We have repeatedly, with our EU partners made representations to the Vietnamese government about human rights. In June last year the British Ambassador in Hanoi handed over a list of prisoners of conscience, urging their release. These included many imprisoned for exercising their religion freedoms. I raised the issue with the Vietnamese Ambassador in January. We shall continue to press the Vietnamese to improve respect for human rights.