You are here: Parliament home page > Parliamentary business > Publications and Records > Hansard > Commons Debates > Commons Debates by date > Commons Debates - previous sessions > Bound Volume Hansard - Written Answers
Previous Section Index Home Page

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Kosovo

Mrs. Mahon: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many members of the Kosovo Protection Corps have been arrested for committing human rights abuses; and when they will be prosecuted. [115525]

Mr. Vaz: We are aware of recent reports about alleged misdeed involving some of the 18,000 applicants to join the Kosovo Protection Corps (KPC), who had previously been members of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA). The UN Mission (UNMIK) has overall responsibility for

22 Mar 2000 : Column: 599W

the KPC, including recruitment and dismissal procedures. UNMIK takes measures, including dismissal, against misdeeds committed by KPC members.

"Your Britain, Your Europe"

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will add to the websites listed in "Your Britain, Your Europe" literature details of those groups opposed to the organisation's whose sites are listed. [115566]

Mr. Vaz: The "Your Britain, Your Europe" roadshow leaflet included details only of the official websites of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the EU institutions. We did not include details of any non- governmental organisations or pressure groups.

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the purpose of the "Your Britain, Your Europe" questionnaire; how many have been printed; how many have been distributed to date (a) in total and (b) to persons not of voting age; and if he will make a statement. [115573]

Mr. Vaz: The "Your Britain, Your Europe" leaflet included a questionnaire designed to gauge public interest in Europe. During the "Your Britain, Your Europe" roadshow we distributed almost 7,000 copies of the leaflet to members of the public, companies and educational institutions.

Mr. Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what mechanisms exist for the promotion of public awareness in the United Kingdom of the institutions of the European Union; and if he will make a statement. [115828]

Mr. Vaz: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office will publish a "UK in Europe" millennium brochure later this year, tracing Britain's involvement in Europe since the 1950s. Late last year, I visited 10 English cities in five days as part of a "Your Britain, Your Europe" roadshow to promote public awareness about the benefits of our membership of the EU. A variety of websites, including those of the FCO, the European Commission and the European Parliament offer information about the EU institutions. The UK Network of European Relays also offers information through various regional centres across the country. From 1 September 2000, the national curriculum will include an element on Europe and the European Union for secondary school pupils.

Human Rights

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list those former (a) Ministers, (b) senior armed forces personnel and (c) heads of state, who have visited the United Kingdom since 1 May 1997, about whose human rights records he received representations prior to their visits. [115545]

Mr. Battle: The FCO does not hold information on the entry of all people into the UK. Therefore, the FCO might not be aware of, for example, a private visit by a former Minister to the UK. To then find out whether the FCO received any representation on human rights grounds over any such visit would also demand a considerable amount of research at disproportionate cost.

22 Mar 2000 : Column: 600W

Investments

Mr. Colman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which countries have entered into agreement with Her Majesty's Government for the protection and promotion of investments; and when each agreement came into force. [115711]

Mr. Hain: Her Majesty's Government have entered into 93 Investment Promotion and Protection Agreements. Of these, 84 are in force and nine are awaiting entry into force. There are 22 OECD member states with which an Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement is not required. Protection of investments is generally considered to be satisfactory under the domestic legislation of OECD member states.

The countries which have signed an Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement with the UK and which are in force are (date of entry into force in parenthesis):



    Belize (30 April 1982)


    Benin (28 November 1987)


    Bolivia (16 February 1990)


    Bulgaria (24 June 1997)


    Burundi (13 September 1990)


    Cameroon (7 June 1985)


    Chile (21 April 1997)


    China (15 May 1986)


    Congo (9 November 1990)


    Cote d'Ivoire (9 October 1997)


    Croatia (16 April 1998)


    Cuba (11 May 1995)


    Czech and Slovak Republics (24 October 1991, amended 26 October 1992)


    Dominica (23 January 1987)


    Ecuador (24 August 1995)


    Egypt (24 February 1976)


    Estonia (16 December 1994)


    Georgia (15 February 1995)


    Ghana (25 October 1991)


    Grenada (25 February 1998)


    Guyana (11 April 1990)


    Haiti (27 March 1995)


    Honduras (8 March 1995)


    Hong Kong (12 April 1999)


    Hungary (28 August 1987)


    India (6 January 1995)


    Indonesia (24 March 1977)


22 Mar 2000 : Column: 601W


    Peru (21 April 1994)


    Philippines (21 February 1981)


    Poland (14 April 1988)


    Romania (10 January 1996)


    Senegal (9 February 1984)


    Singapore (22 June 1975)


    Slovenia (12 May 1999)


    South Africa (27 May 1998)


    Soviet Union (3 July 1991, now applies to Russian Federation)


    Sri Lanka (18 December 1980)


    St. Lucia (18 January 1983)


    Swaziland (5 May 1995)


    Tanzania (2 August 1996)


    Thailand (11 August 1979)


    Tonga (22 October 1997)


    Trinidad and Tobago (8 October 1993)


    Tunisia (4 January 1990)


    Turkey (22 October 1996)


    Turkmenistan (9 February 1995)


    Uganda (24 April 1998)


    Ukraine (10 February 1993)


    UAE (15 December 1993)


    Uruguay (1 August 1997)


    Uzbekistan (24 November 1993)


    Venezuela (1 August 1996)


    Yemen (11 November 1983).

The nine countries which have signed Investment Promotion and Protection Agreements with the UK, which have yet to enter into force are:



22 Mar 2000 : Column: 602W

The 22 OECD member states with whom an Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement is not required are:


Sudan

Mr. Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the Canadian Foreign Minister regarding exports to Sudan; and if he will make a statement. [115720]

Mr. Hain: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has not had the opportunity to meet recently with his Canadian counterpart.

We have studied the Canadian report on Sudan and are discussing the issues it raises with the Government of Sudan.

Mr. Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Chinese and Sudanese Governments concerning reports that Chinese personnel have been involved in the displacement of Dinka and Nuer peoples from Heglig and Bentin areas; and if he will make a statement. [115723]

Mr. Hain: We are deeply concerned about the reports of human rights violations in Western Upper Nile. The recently published Harker report (available on the internet at http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca\foreignp\3110168-e.pdf) addressed many issues including displacement. We have already taken this up with the Government of Sudan bilaterally and through the EU.

Mr. Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the (a) Government of Sudan, (b) European Commission and (c) United Nations, regarding the recent bombings in Sudan. [115714]

Mr. Hain: We are aware of several reports of aerial bombing in the Sudan. We have raised specific cases and the more general issue with the Government of Sudan

22 Mar 2000 : Column: 603W

bilaterally and through the EU. At last year's UN Commission on Human Rights (UNCHR), an EU co-sponsored resolution on Sudan was agreed by consensus which calls on the Government of Sudan to


We expect the EU to co-sponsor a resolution at this year's UNCHR.

Mr. Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he plans to take to develop special economic measures to tighten export controls to Sudan; and if he will make a statement. [115712]

Mr. Hain: There is an EU arms embargo which we rigorously implement and expect to remain for as long as the civil war continues. There is no policy to halt commercial interests in the Sudan and we give full and frank advice to interested companies.

Next Section Index Home Page