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Colombia

Dr. Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with his US counterparts concerning financial assistance for Plan Colombia. [118973]

Mr. Battle: UK officials keep in close contact with their US counterparts on all aspects of foreign affairs, including the peace process in Colombia. During President Pastrana's visit to the UK on 13 April, we discussed ways in which the international community might assist. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs suggested the UK could take the lead in hosting an international gathering of officials and technical experts, including those from North America and Europe, to discuss the details of Plan Colombia in the next two months.

Dr. Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the Colombian Government concerning UK assistance for (a) social and economic aspects of Plan Colombia and (b) military assistance for Plan Colombia. [118972]

Mr. Battle: We had a friendly and productive discussion with President Pastrana on 13 April about all aspects of Plan Colombia. We discussed the ways in which the international community could be of assistance, and focused in particular on the need for alternative development, the fight against drugs, and institution building.

Joint Environmental Markets Unit

Mr. Colman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the answer of 6 December 1999, Official Report, column 539W, on the Joint Environmental Markets Unit, when he will implement his commitment to second staff from his Department to work for the Unit. [116069]

Mr. Hain: The joint FCO/DTI British Trade International has identified the environment sector as a priority area of its trade promotion work, and has close links with the DTI/DETR Joint Environmental Markets Unit (JEMU).

In addition, the FCO is in the process of enhancing its interchange programme with other Government departments. As part of this, we hope to institute regular secondments to JEMU in due course.

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Abdullah Ocalan

Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the Turkish Government regarding the death sentence imposed on Abdullah Ocalan. [118831]

Mr. Vaz: I met the Turkish Foreign Minister during his visit to the UK in September 1999 and expressed our opposition to capital punishment under any circumstances. The Minister of State, my hon. Friend the Member for Neath (Mr. Hain), repeated this message to the Turkish Ambassador in December 1999. In the regular meetings between British and Turkish officials, we consistently make clear to the Turkish authorities our opposition to the death penalty as a matter of principle.

The UK also supported the statements by the EU Presidency on 29 June and 25 November 1999, which confirmed our opposition to the death penalty imposed upon Mr. Ocalan. Our general position on capital punishment was most recently restated at the EU-Turkey Association Council on 11 April by the EU Presidency.

We welcome the Turkish Government's decision in January to await the outcome of Mr. Ocalan's appeal to the ECHR before taking further action and have urged them to maintain the moratorium on capital punishment which has been in place for 15 years.

Visa Applicants (Islamabad)

Mr. Nigel Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps his Department is taking to provide shade and water for visa applicants queuing at the British High Commission in Islamabad; and if he will extend the system used in respect of visa applicants at the Deputy High Commission in Karachi to Islamabad. [118915]

Mr. Vaz: Covered accommodation for some 400 visa applicants, with drinking water and toilet facilities, is already provided inside the British High Commission at Islamabad. Similar accommodation and facilities are provided in Karachi, in a more modern building.

The land outside the compound at Islamabad belongs to the Pakistani authorities. The High Commission has repeatedly asked their permission to construct facilities which would provide shade for visa applicants. No response has been received.

Zimbabwe

Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many British passport holders are resident in Zimbabwe; and how many other residents of Zimbabwe could claim a right of abode in the UK. [118895]

Mr. Hain: We cannot provide exact figures of the number of British passport holders resident in Zimbabwe because British nationals are not obliged to register with our High Commission in Harare. As of 12 April there are 9,000 British nationals and some 5,500 dual British/Zimbabwe nationals registered with the High Commission. Actual numbers will be higher.

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Any Commonwealth citizen with a UK born parent or married to a British citizen may qualify for right of abode in the UK. For the reasons given above it is not possible to put a figure on how many residents of Zimbabwe may be eligible to claim.

Algeria

Dr. Starkey: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he was first informed of the MI5 report about the involvement of the Algerian Government, or part of it, in serious human rights violations committed in Algeria. [118926]

Mr. Hain: It has been the policy of successive Governments not to comment on the operations of the security and intelligence agencies. In line with this policy the Government do not reveal what information is held by the Security Service.

Dr. Starkey: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Algerian Government, and when, concerning their obligations under international law to undertake full and open investigations of human rights abuses. [118927]

Mr. Hain: I raised this issue personally with the Algerian Prime Minister during my visit to Algiers on 12 April.

Dr. Starkey: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will ask the Algerian Government to invite the UN Working Group on Enforced and Involuntary Disappearance to visit Algeria, with particular reference to the treatment of women relatives of the disappeared in Algeria during recent demonstrations. [118937]

Mr. Hain: I welcome the recent announcement by the Algerian authorities that international NGOs, including Amnesty International, have been given dates to visit. We continue to press the Algerian government to allow access to UN experts. I raised this issue personally with the Algerian Prime Minister during my visit to Algiers on 12 April.

Iran

Mr. Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs further to the oral answer to the hon. Member for Hendon (Mr. Dismore) of 11 April 2000, Official Report, column 178, what steps the Government plan to take to monitor the trial and other legal proceedings in respect of the 13 members of the Jewish community from Shiraz; and if he will make a statement. [118986]

Mr. Hain: Since my answer to the House on 11 April we are concerned at reports that trial Judge has decided to hold the trial in camera, and have made our concerns known to the Iranian authorities. The pattern of developments is not entirely clear, but our Embassy is following events closely. We note that defendants have now had the opportunity to appoint their own counsel, and that all those detained have done so.

The first session of the trial took place on 13 April. We understand that the trial has been adjourned until 1 May at the request of the defence lawyers to allow them to prepare their defence. We and our EU partners will

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continue to monitor events carefully. We will be paying especially close attention to defence counsel's view of proceedings.

Iraq

Ann Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has received from Iraqi opposition groups concerning sanctions against Iraq. [118944]

Mr. Hain: During my regular meetings with representatives of the Iraqi opposition, I receive strong support for the Government's policy on Iraq and sanctions. The Iraqi National Congress, perhaps the most significant opposition grouping outside Iraq, has made quite clear that, like us, it holds the Iraqi regime responsible for the suffering of the people, and wishes to ensure that Saddam Hussein can never again attack his own people or his neighbours with weapons of mass destruction.

Peru

Ann Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will raise the issue of alleged electoral fraud in Peru with the Peruvian Government. [118945]

Mr. Battle: The UK has played a leading role in calling for higher standards in the electoral process in Peru. We have financed two reports this year which have highlighted the deficiencies, and copies of these reports have been sent to the Peruvian Government as well as being circulated widely internationally. We were instrumental in organising a critical EU statement on 7 April in advance of the vote. On 12 April, after the vote, I issued a statement which was delivered through our Embassy in Lima to the Peruvian President, Prime Minister and Foreign Minister. In it I suggested a second round was both desirable and sensible in the light of widespread concerns, including that of the two British observers, my right hon. Friend the Member for Coatbridge and Chryston (Mr. Clarke) and the hon. Member for East Londonderry (Mr. Ross).

Since the declaration of a second round, I have issued a further statement (on 13 April) expressing the hope that the next round will be held in conditions that are free, fair and transparent. We shall be working with our EU colleagues to impress on the Peruvian authorities the need for them to conform to international standards.

Mr. Tony Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of reports of alleged malpractice during the first-round ballot of the Peruvian Presidential election; and if he will make a statement. [119428]

Mr. Battle: Further to the answer I gave above to my hon. Friend the Member for Cynon Valley (Ann Clwyd) (UIN 118945), I remain concerned at allegations of irregularities during the Peruvian election campaign and on polling day itself on 9 April. I issued a statement on 13 April calling for the second round of voting to be held under conditions that were democratic, transparent and free from the irregularities of the first round. We shall be working with our EU colleagues to impress on the Peruvian authorities the need for them to conform to international standards in their electoral process.

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