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Balkans
Mr. Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has received from (a) the US State Department and (b) the EU partner countries on the political and security situation in (i) Kosovo, (ii) Montenegro and (iii) Serbia. [113875]
Mr. Vaz [holding answer 10 March 2000]: We are in frequent regular contact with the US Government and with our EU partners on the political and security situations in Kosovo, Montenegro and Serbia.
Mr. Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to visit (a) Kosovo and (b) Montenegro. [113869]
Mr. Vaz
[holding answer 10 March 2000]: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has no present plans to visit Kosovo or Montenegro.
14 Mar 2000 : Column: 142W
Mr. Coaker:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what changes have been made to measures in place against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. [114824]
Mr. Vaz:
The European Union's ECOFIN Council on 28 February adopted a Common Position and Council Decision implementing changes to the EU sanctions regime on the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia which had been agreed at the General Affairs Council on 14 February. Council Decision 2000/177/CFSP introduced, with immediate effect, a revised and expanded list of FRY citizens (representing an increase to a total of 794 names) against whom the EU visa ban applies, and Common Position 2000/176/CFSP suspended the EU flight ban on the FRY for a period of six months. The suspension of the flight ban will come into effect when the necessary amendments have been made to the relevant Council regulations. In parallel we are working with our partners to tighten up the implementation of financial sanctions targeted against the regime.
Further to the written answer given by my hon. Friend the Member for Manchester, Central (Mr. Lloyd)--the then Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs--on 13 July 1999, Official Report, columns 141-42W, the Government have decided to introduce a case by case approach to consideration of export licence applications for dual use goods to the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia including Kosovo and Montenegro. There are humanitarian developmental and commercial reasons for doing so and it brings us into line with the practice of our major partners. Reconstruction in Kosovo is crucial to the province's development and the UK contribution to Kosovo could potentially be hindered without a change in practice. Applications will be considered consistent with the national export licensing criteria announced in July 1997 and those in the EU Code of Conduct on Arms Exports. We will not approve any dual use goods licence applications which could benefit the armed forces, internal security forces or similar entities of the authorities in Belgrade.
Mr. Baker:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the employees working in embassies overseas paid for by business, indicating in each case (a) the name of the employee, (b) the business providing the financial support, (c) the level of financial support and (d) the embassy. [114421]
Mr. Hain:
Since 1979, the FCO has arranged 56 secondments to British diplomatic missions overseas from 40 private sector organisations. In line with HMG's policy of increased interchange with the private sector as part of the Modernising Government agenda, there are at present eight private sector secondees at posts overseas, primarily in the US and the Far East. A further 14 secondments were completed over the last year. These include substantive secondments of up to four years and short-term attachments of 3-6 months under the Short Term Business Attachment Scheme. In all cases, the secondees are bound by Diplomatic Service Regulations relating to conduct and discipline, and are answerable to the head of the diplomatic post at which they are serving.
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It would not be appropriate to list the names of individual secondees.
Mr. Baker:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he has taken to establish whether the Panchen Lama is alive. [114111]
Mr. Battle:
We remain concerned about the absence of any independent verification of the whereabouts of Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, the Dalai Lama's choice as Panchen Lama. We regularly urge the Chinese authorities to allow access by diplomats or an independent figure to confirm his state of health and living conditions. I raised the matter with Chinese Vice Foreign Minister, Wang Yingfan, in Beijing on 9 November 1999, and was given a written assurance that reports that Gedhun Choekyi Nyima had died were not accurate and that he was alive and well. We also raised the Gedhun's case during the fourth round of the UK/China bilateral human rights dialogue in February and received similar assurances. We will continue to press for independent access.
Mrs. Gillan:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent reports he has received from the Egyptian Government regarding the grounds for the charges brought against Father Gabriel Abdel-Massesh Gabriel following the sectarian violence in Al-Kosheh. [114590]
Mr. Hain:
Following the violence in Al-Kosheh, it was announced that Father Gabriel Abdel-Massesh Gabriel had been charged with attempted murder and illegal possession of weapons. He was released on bail. The Egyptian Public Prosecutor's Office has now concluded its report on the incident. At a press conference on 11 March the Public Prosecutor reportedly confirmed that no religious leaders would be charged.
Mr. Blunt:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the UK's relations with Egypt. [112870]
Mr. Hain:
The British Government have a strong relationship with the government of President Mubarak and UK/Egypt trade relations continue to grow.
Mr. Maude:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the progress made in setting up a local Kosovo police force. [113874]
Mr. Vaz
[holding answer 10 March 2000]: So far 349 recruits have graduated from the OSCE Police Training School in Kosovo. A third course of 250 students began their initial training on 22 February 2000. This group consisted of 217 Albanians, 22 Serbs and 11 other minority members.
All students undergo nine weeks of basic police training instruction. This consists of both classroom training and practical exercises in democratic policing, legal affairs, patrol duties, firearms, administration, defensive tactics, crime investigation, forensics and traffic control. Following this, each student undergoes a further
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17 weeks of field training with an UNMIK police officer and an additional 80 hours of advanced classroom training. Having successfully completed the three phases of instruction, each recruit is eligible for certification and independent assignment.
The OSCE training mandate is to develop and deliver basic police training for approximately 3,500 police recruits within the next 16 months.
Mr. Maude:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations have been made to him by experts on the level of international police numbers in Kosovo. [114577]
Mr. Hain:
The Secretary-General has determined that the number of civilian police officers required for UNMIK is 4,718. The UN has consistently underlined the urgency of reaching that number soon. The only other representation received by the UK is that from the European Secretary- General/High Representative, Mr. Javier Solana, as set out in my answer of 6 March 2000, Official Report, column 500W.
Mr. Maude:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 6 March 2000, Official Report, column 501W, on which two dates the UN Secretariat requested additional police officers for the international peacekeeping effort in Kosovo. [114692]
Mr. Hain:
The UN Secretariat issued requests for police officers for Kosovo on 11 June and 18 November 1999.
Mr. Maude:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of whether the number of (a) international police officers and (b) UK police officers in Kosovo is sufficient to ensure security in the province. [114578]
Mr. Hain:
We share the UN Secretary-General's assessment of the number of international police officers required to ensure security in Kosovo. Until the full police strength is achieved, KFOR is offering assistance in this area.
To date, the UN have requested 120 UK police officers for Kosovo. We have been able to respond positively to this request, and hope to deploy the remainder of the contingent to the region in the near future.
Mr. Maude:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 6 March 2000, Official Report, column 501W, concerning the UN Secretariat's requests for more police officers for Kosovo, for how many police officers the UN Secretariat asked on (a) the first and (b) the second occasion; and how many police officers the United Kingdom offered in response to each request. [114691]
Mr. Hain:
On both occasions, the UN Secretariat requested 60 UK police officers. The UK has met the first request in full, and 60 police officers have been in Kosovo since November 1999. In order to meet the second request, the UK is identifying 60 suitable officers for deployment in the near future.
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