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FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
Kosovo
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what measures his Department is taking to encourage the curtailment in Kosovo of the activities of the Sherbimi Informativ I Kosaves; and if he will make a statement. [95295]
Mr. Vaz: The Sherbimi Informativ I Kosaves was affiliated to the now disbanded Kosovo Liberation Army, acting as its intelligence and security service. As part of the demilitarisation process, the KLA has undertaken to disengage in conflict and re-integrate into civilian society, an undertaking which is under constant scrutiny by KFOR and UNMIK.
KFOR and UNMIK take a wholly even-handed approach to law and order. They will act against any report of illegal activity from whatever source.
Mr. Bercow:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of whether the Kosovo Liberation Army has fully disarmed; and if he will make a statement on the KLA's reserves of military equipment. [95227]
Mr. Vaz:
On 20 September KFOR reported that the KLA was broadly in compliance with the undertaking to demilitarise which was given to NATO on 21 June.
The then commander of KFOR, General Sir Mike Jackson, said on 13 October that over 10,000 weapons and 5 million rounds of ammunition had been handed in by the KLA. Any weapons now found on ex-KLA members are unlawfully held and are subject to seizure and destruction.
Mr. Gardiner:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the export of military equipment for the use of the international civil and security presences in Kosovo since 26 July. [96830]
Mr. Vaz:
UN Security Council resolution 1160 imposed an arms embargo against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY). The only exception to this embargo is that in UNSCR 1244, which provides that prohibitions imposed by UNSCR 1160 shall not apply to the sale or supply of arms and related material for the use of the international civil and security presences in Kosovo. The Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (United Nations Sanctions) Order 1998 sets out the licensing requirements in relation to this embargo.
Since 26 July 1999, the Government have licensed the export of the following equipment on the Military List to organisations involved in demining activities in Kosovo on behalf of the United Nations Interim Administration Mission In Kosovo (UNMIK). The United Nations FRY Sanctions Committee has approved the export of all of these goods.
28 Oct 1999 : Column: 991
Ann Clwyd:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs in relation to the most recent delivery of three Hawk aircraft to Indonesia, if he will give (a) the date on which the aircraft left the United Kingdom, (b) the reason for the temporary grounding of the aircraft in Bangkok, (c) the nationality of the pilots flying the aircraft from the United Kingdom to Indonesia, (d) by whom the pilots were employed and (e) the date on which the aircraft became legally the property of the Indonesian Government. [95339]
Mr. Battle:
The aircraft referred to left the UK on 31 August. Once the aircraft left UK shores, the details of the export became a matter for the company concerned.
Ms Oona King:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will ask the Indonesian Government for a full and independent investigation into the death of the Balibo five during the Indonesian invasion of East Timor in 1975. [96024]
Mr. Battle:
We have no plans to do so. The Australian Government, who have led on the issue (the five journalists killed were based in Australia and worked for Australian TV stations), commissioned a comprehensive investigation by a former Solicitor General of Australia, Tom Sherman, in 1995. The Sherman Report remains our benchmark. New information about the incident which came to light last year was referred by the Australian Government to Mr. Sherman. Mr. Sherman's second report contained no major new revelations or conclusions.
Mr. Boswell:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many additional Chevening scholarships for overseas students are being provided; and what is the cost to (a) private and (b) public funds. [96112]
Mr. Hain:
At present about 2,200 Chevening Scholarships are awarded each year. On 18 June my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister announced that the scheme would be expanded by up to 1,000 additional scholarships each year through Government and private funding. The cost of 1,000 extra scholarships is likely to be about £15 million each year. Discussions are continuing between Government, higher education institutions and the private sector with the aim of building up to the target set by the Prime Minister.
28 Oct 1999 : Column: 992
Mr. Peter Bradley:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which Ministers in his Department visited Belize in each year between 1990 and 1997; and what support his Department gave Belize in each year. [96213]
Mr. Battle:
The following Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) Ministers visited Belize in the years 1990-97: Mr. Tristan Garel-Jones (1991), the right hon. David Heathcoat-Amory MP (March 1994) and Sir Nicholas Bonsor (June 1996).
The total Overseas Development Administration programmes for Belize were as follows:
60 helmet and visor assemblies
60 mine search jackets
4 de-armers/disruptors
2 rocket wrench
20 RBR fragmentation vests
5 high energy mini shrikes (used for mine destruction)
10 LBA armoured protective helmets
The Government have also licensed the export of the following equipment on the Military List to the international KFOR contingent in Kosovo.
50 RBR warrior helmets
50 protective vests
35 protective trousers
50 spare advanced fragmentation visors
12 Beethoven Mk 19 exploders.
demining explosives
4 armoured Land Rovers 110s.
| Year | £ |
|---|---|
| 1989-90 | 2,905,000 |
| 1990-91 | 2,678,000 |
| 1991-92 | 2,970,000 |
| 1992-93 | 4,273,000 |
| 1993-94 | 5,693,000 |
| 1994-95 | 5,395,000 |
| 1995-96 | 3,499,000 |
| 1996-97 | 1,995,000 |
| 1997-98 | 2,300,000 |
The 1997-98 figure includes the period during which the Department for International Development was established. A breakdown of these statistics is available in "British Aid Statistics/Statistics on International Development" which is available in the Library of the House. The Commonwealth Development Corporation also invested in Belize during this period. In addition to the above funding from its ODA wing, the FCO provided Belize with other support in a variety of forms including sponsored visits, scholarships and military training and equipment. Figures for the total value of this support are not readily available.
UNSCOM
Mr. Colman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the use of the procedures contained in the Additional Protocol of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty has formed part of the current UN negotiations for the reintroduction of UNSCOM into Iraq. [96421]
Mr. Hain: The Additional Protocol does not form part of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). It is an extension to the safeguards agreement negotiated between the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and NPT member states. Iraq has not agreed an Additional Protocol with the IAEA, hence this subject has no direct bearing on current discussion in the UN on re-establishing IAEA and UNSCOM operations in Iraq under UN Security Council resolution 687.
Consular Procedure (Islamabad)
Mr. Hilary Benn:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a
28 Oct 1999 : Column: 993
statement on the operation of the interim appointment system in Islamabad for applicants seeking entry clearance. [95657]
Mr. Vaz:
In an attempt to reduce waiting times for interviews, our High Commission in Islamabad has set up a system aimed at processing some straightforward applications for settlement visas more quickly. Applications which are judged to fall into this category may be submitted to the High Commission on any Tuesday for consideration.
Ann Clwyd:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many meetings concerning the security and policing arrangements for the visit of President Jiang Zemin were held between his Department and the Metropolitan Police; who attended those meetings; what advice and guidance on security arrangements and the policing of possible demonstrations his Department offered at those meetings; and if he will publish the minutes of the meetings. [96113]
Mr. Battle:
Officials of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and representatives of the Police discussed the security and policing arrangements for the Chinese State Visit on a number of occasions between July and October. Minutes were not taken. Such discussions and meetings are a standard part of preparation for State Visits, to take the police through the proposed programme to enable them to make their operational decisions. These meetings involved officials from the Foreign Office and representatives of the police services concerned. Officials from Buckingham Palace, representatives of the Chinese Embassy and organisers of individual events attended as appropriate.
Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials and the Metropolitan Police discussed the proposed programme for the State Visit and the concerns of the Chinese authorities about the possible impact of demonstrations on the visit. Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials reported to the police that they had told the Chinese authorities that demonstrations should be expected and that the Chinese should accept that the policing of the visit was a matter for the police's operational judgment. Ministers were consulted only on the arrangements for the welcoming ceremony on Horse Guards Parade and they expressed the view that it should take the same form as on previous State Visits.
Mr. Lidington:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which members of his Department's staff were present outside the Cambridge University Library for the arrival of the President of China; and what representations these staff made to the police about their handling of public demonstrations. [96234]
Mr. Battle:
In accordance with standard practice for State Visits, Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials from the China Hong Kong Department, Protocol Division and Conference and Visits Group were present at Cambridge University Library to liaise between the Chinese authorities and Cambridgeshire Constabulary on
28 Oct 1999 : Column: 994
the basis of the discussions referred to in my answer of today to my hon. Friend the Member for Cynon Valley (Ann Clwyd).
Mr. Lidington:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations his Department made to Cambridgeshire Constabulary about the policing of the state visit by the President of China. [96232]
Mr. Battle:
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given today to my hon. Friend the Member for Cynon Valley (Ann Clwyd) at column 993.
There were routine meetings to go through the programme during the preparations for the State Visit, so that Cambridgeshire Constabulary could make their operational decisions.
Mr. Maples:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on what occasions (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department (i) met and (ii) communicated with Commander Mick Messenger in connection with the Chinese President's visit to London. [96117]
Mr. Battle:
There were no meetings or discussions with Commander Mick Messenger.
Mr. Maples:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what involvement (a) Ministers, (b) officials from his Department had in the dialogue between the Home Office and the Metropolitan Police in connection with policing of the Chinese President's visit to London. [96116]
Mr. Battle:
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Aylesbury (Mr. Lidington) on 25 October 1999, Official Report, column 685-86.
Mr. Maples:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations were made by Ministers or officials in his Department to (a) Ministers or officials in the Home Office and (b) the Metropolitan Police regarding policing of the Chinese President's visit to London. [96115]
Mr. Battle:
(a) None. (b) I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Cynon Valley (Ann Clwyd) today.
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