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FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
Kosovo
Mr. Maclean: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his most recent estimate of the number of Serbs who have been ethnically cleansed from Kosovo since June 1999. [107483]
Mr. Vaz: Protection of the Kosovo Serbs and other minorities is a top priority for KFOR and UNMIK. KFOR devotes around half of its resources at present to maintaining a presence in minority areas. In the UK-led sector, there are KFOR soldiers present in Serb towns and villages, as well as soldiers deployed to protect individual homes and farms. KFOR conducts patrols and escorts individuals to school and to work. In September 1999 UNMIK and Mr. Kouchner estimated 97,000 Serbs remain in Kosovo from a pre-war population of around 200,000. Since then there have been population movements in both directions of similar size.
Mr. Maclean: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received on KLA involvement in terrorism and drug running. [107523]
Mr. Vaz:
The KLA was demilitarised in September 1999 in accordance with UN Security Council resolution 1244 and has ceased to exist. The UN Mission in Kosovo
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and the NATO-led Kosovo force monitor individuals and armed groups for any illegal activity and pay particular attention to tackling violence and drug trafficking.
Mr. Maclean:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the current strength of and support for the KLA in Kosovo. [107524]
Mr. Vaz:
The KLA was demilitarised in September 1999, in accordance with UN Security Council resolution 1244 and has ceased to exist. Recent opinion polls indicate that the PPDK (Democratic Progress Party of Kosovo), the political party formed by the former commander of the KLA, Hashism Thaqi, has about 29 per cent. support and its leader about 15 per cent. We are committed to early democratic elections in Kosovo.
Mr. Maclean:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received on the levels of (a) rape, (b) murder, (c) torture and (d) intimidation of Serb civilians in Kosovo; and if he will make a statement. [107525]
Mr. Vaz:
There were 430 reported murders and 180 kidnappings in Kosovo in the period between KFOR's deployment there on 12 June and 25 December last year. We do not have a breakdown of these figures by ethnic origin but of the 383 murders reported up to mid- November, 139 were Serbs, 145 Albanians and 99 of unknown ethnic origin. UNMIK and KFOR are putting substantial resources into protecting ethnic minorities. Currently over 50 per cent. of KFOR troops are on minority protection duties, providing a permanent presence in Serb towns, villages, neighbourhoods and individual houses. KFOR's presence has resulted in a significant reduction in the number of reported major offences from over 300 in the last week of June to fewer than 50 in the last week of November. There are no figures available for the other crimes.
Mr. Maclean:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many British soldiers are involved in full-time protection of Serb civilians in Pristina from attacks by Albanians. [107522]
Mr. Vaz:
Some 3,500 British soldiers are deployed with KFOR in Kosovo, of whom some 2,300 are serving in Pristina. KFOR currently devotes about half of its resources to protecting Serbs and other minorities.
Mr. Mudie:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions are taking place with the Home Office regarding the restarting of the appeals against refusal of visitors visas. [107353]
Mr. Vaz:
Discussions are taking place with the Home Office about the proposed new appeal right for family visitors, with a view to implementation later this year.
Mr. Norman:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations were made by the Government to Mr. Prodi on his decision to invite Colonel Gaddafi to visit Brussels; and if he was aware of the proposal to invite Colonel Gaddafi to visit Brussels before it was made. [107367]
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Mr. Vaz:
The questions of a visit to Brussels came up in an unscheduled telephone conversation between Prodi and Gaddafi in December. We were not informed in advance of this conversation and no formal invitation was made. Following a Libyan suggestion in January that Gaddafi was to make a visit, we made clear to the Commission that such a visit would be premature until Libya had confirmed that it accepted the Barcelona Declaration and the acquis of the Barcelona Process unconditionally and in full. A visit to Brussels could only then be considered.
Mr. Norman:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the extension of co-decision as it relates to the Intergovernmental Conference discussions. [107363]
Mr. Vaz:
We will shortly publish a White Paper covering all aspects of institutional reform. This will set out our position on the possible extension of the codecision procedure.
Mr. Norman:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations the Government have made to the Portuguese Presidency regarding an extension of the agenda for the forthcoming Intergovernmental Conference. [107358]
Mr. Vaz:
We are in regular contact with the Portuguese Presidency on all aspects of the IGC.
Mr. Norman:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he next plans to meet representatives of the Portuguese Presidency to discuss the Intergovernmental Conference. [107366]
Mr. Vaz:
We are in regular contact with the Portuguese Presidency about the IGC. I will next meet my Portuguese counterpart, Sexias da Costa, on 8 February.
Mr. Norman:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the Government's policy is on the extension of the powers of the President of the European Commission. [107359]
Mr. Vaz:
We will shortly publish a White Paper on the forthcoming Intergovernmental Conference. This will cover all aspects of the IGC, including the possibility of extending the powers of the President of the European Commission.
Mr. Norman:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the Government's policy is on extension of the provisions for flexibility in the Amsterdam Treaty. [107360]
Mr. Vaz:
We will shortly publish a White Paper on all aspects of the forthcoming Intergovernmental Conference. This will set out our policy on flexibility.
Mr. Norman:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he will publish his White Paper on the Intergovernmental Conference. [107362]
Mr. Vaz:
We intend to publish the White Paper in the week beginning 7 February.
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Mr. Norman:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his statement of 18 January 2000, Official Report, column 669, whether border controls, defence, taxation, social security, own resources and Treaty amendments represent a definitive list of issues in which he will not countenance an extension of qualified majority voting at the IGC. [107397]
Mr. Vaz:
We have long made it clear that we will not support the extension of QMV to areas of key national interest. Border controls, defence, taxation, social security, own resources and Treaty change are examples of such areas.
Mr. Norman:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the Government's policy on the level of the blocking minority threshold for votes in the EU Council of Ministers. [107348]
Mr. Vaz:
The threshold for a blocking minority has for many years been set at around 30 per cent. of the votes. The Government's view is that this sets about the right balance between ease with which legislation can be passed or blocked.
Mr. Norman:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his oral statement of 18 January 2000, Official Report, column 670, what is his policy on extension of qualified majority voting to all areas which are currently the subject of dispute between Spain and the UK in respect of their application to Gibraltar. [107398]
Mr. Vaz:
We have made it clear on a number of occasions that we will consider the extension of qualified majority voting on a case by case basis. Where it is in Britain's interests we will support it. But in key areas of national interest we shall insist on retaining unanimity.
Mr. Norman:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his policy on incorporation of the Charter of Fundamental Rights into the EU Treaties; and if he will make a statement. [107364]
Mr. Vaz:
We believe that a Charter which sets out rights already enjoyed by EU citizens in a clear and accessible way will help to deepen and strengthen the culture of rights and responsibilities at all levels across the EU. We consider that these objectives can best be met if the Charter is drafted as a declaratory document, identifying and complementing existing legal instruments on fundamental rights. We do not therefore favour the Charter's incorporation into the Treaties.
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