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China
24. Mrs. Brinton: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to promote democracy and human rights in China. [95058]
Mr. Battle:
We have regular dialogue with the Chinese authorities on human rights including the situation in Tibet and raise the issue at every appropriate opportunity. My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister discussed human rights with the Chinese President Jiang Zemin during his recent State Visit. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary did the same during his talks with the Chinese Foreign Minister on 20 October, in which he handed over further names of individuals about whom we are
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concerned. The most recent round of the official-level bilateral human rights dialogue was held in London in September.
25. Miss Kirkbride:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the European Commission concerning the obstruction of movement between Spain and Gibraltar. [R] [95059]
Mr. Vaz:
We have raised the continuing problems at the border between Gibraltar and Spain with the European Commission on several occasions in recent months. Following the inauguration of the new Commission this Autumn, both my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Home Affairs and my predecessor as Minister for Europe have discussed the issue with EU Commissioner Vitorino. We will continue to press the Commission to take effective action in this matter.
27. Mr. Baldry:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he next expects to meet the Secretary-General of the Commonwealth to discuss the criteria for Commonwealth membership. [95061]
Mr. Hain:
I have no plans to discuss the criteria for Commonwealth membership with the Commonwealth Secretary-General. They were agreed by Heads of Government at the 1997 CHOGM in Edinburgh. Decisions on membership are taken by the whole Commonwealth on the basis of consensus, against the background of these agreed criteria.
29. Mr. Rammell:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the Government's current assessment of the situation in East Timor. [95063]
Mr. Battle:
We welcome the adoption of the UN Security Council Resolution 1272 on 25 October. We shall continue to support the UN efforts to create the independent East Timor for which the East Timorese people so overwhelmingly voted on 30 August.
30. Mr. Blizzard:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress has been made in the development of consular relationships with Nigeria since its readmission to the Commonwealth. [95064]
Mr. Hain:
Since Nigeria's readmission to the Commonwealth we have rebuilt a friendly and constructive relationship with the new government, covering all aspects of mutual interest. Britain fully supports President Obasanjo's reform programme.
32. Mr. Garnier:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he next plans
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to meet senior members of the judiciary, the legal professions and the police to discuss the consequences of the Tampere conference of 15 and 16 October. [95066]
Mr. Vaz:
I have no current plans to do so. My right hon. Friends the Home Secretary and the Lord Chancellor will, however, be taking forward work on justice and home affairs issues raised at Tampere.
33. Mr. Trend:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the ethical dimension to his foreign policy as outlined in his Department's mission statement. [95068]
Mr. Hain:
We have placed human rights at the heart of Foreign Policy. We believe in the rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the core United Nations human rights instruments. We are committed to protecting and promoting these rights, working through our bilateral relationships and with our European Union and other International partners. In implementing this policy we take account of the individual characteristics of each situation, and seek to use the combination of approaches--of dialogue and pressure--that is most likely to secure real human rights improvements on the ground.
34. Mr. Peter Atkinson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he next plans to meet the German Chancellor to discuss European enlargement; and if he will make a statement. [95069]
Mr. Vaz:
European Union enlargement is a major priority of the Government. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary will discuss enlargement with the German Foreign Minister when they meet at the General Affairs council on 15-16 November. My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister and the German Chancellor discussed enlargement at the European council in Tampere on 15 October and will return to the subject at the Helsinki European council on 9 December.
Mr. Mackinlay:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he will next nominate persons to serve on the EU Economic and Social Affairs Council. [94574]
Mr. Vaz:
We will nominate 24 permanent and 24 reserve members to serve on the next Economic and Social Committee in 2002, when the current committee's mandate expires.
Mr. Bercow:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the Government have compiled for use by Government Departments a handbook on the procedures and functions of (a) the European Communities and (b) European Communities working groups, with particular reference to UK Civil Service input. [95544]
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Mr. Vaz:
We prepared guidance handbooks on the institutions of the European Union and on the procedures in the Council for the use of civil servants and Ministers during the UK's Presidency of the Council in 1998. Guidance on procedures for handling EU business is updated from time to time.
Mrs. Gillan:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Government of Morocco concerning the conduct and timing of the referendum on the future of Western Sahara. [96838]
Mr. Hain
[holding answer 1 November 1999]: We raise the situation in the Western Sahara regularly in our bilateral dealings with the Moroccan Government. The Secretary of State met his Moroccan counterpart in April and I expect to make contact with them soon.
Mrs. Gillan:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the UN Secretary-General concerning the conduct and timing of the referendum on the future of Western Sahara. [96839]
Mr. Hain
[holding answer 1 November 1999]: We are in regular contact with the UN Secretary-General on the Western Sahara through our Mission in New York and through our Ambassador in Rabat. We fully support both the content of the UN referendum process and the Secretary-General's planned timetable.
Mrs. Gillan:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the United Kingdom's contribution to the UN's work in Western Sahara. [96840]
Mr. Hain
[holding answer 1 November 1999]: From September 1991 until September 1993, the UK contributed 15 military observers including the Chief of Staff to MINURSO, the United Nations' Mission for the Referendum in the Western Sahara.
Since the establishment of the mission, the UK has been liable for its share of UN assessed contributions. In the last financial year, the UK paid £2,359,371 in assessed contributions to MINURSO.
We continue to support UN efforts to bring about a lasting peace to the Western Sahara and believe that a free and fair referendum represents the best way forward unless the parties can agree an alternative political solution.
Mr. Baker:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many of the bilateral treaties between the UK and the US (a) are still in effect and (b) were ratified in the last 30 years. [96301]
Mr. Battle:
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him on 20 July 1999, Official Report, column 501. That answer refers to the number of US-UK bilateral treaties which, having entered into force, were sent to the Public Record Office for permanent preservation. However, some of these bilateral treaties may no longer be in effect, having been overtaken by new treaties. Officials are now conducting a search to establish
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precisely how many treaties are still in effect, and which of those treaties were ratified in the last 30 years. I will inform the hon. Member as soon as I have the necessary information.
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