---

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Iran

Mr. John D. Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the use made of the weekly Mojahed publication by (a) the terrorist group Mujaheddin Khalq Organisation of Iran and (b) the National Council of Resistance in Iran; if this publication is registered as a newspaper with the Post Office; and if he will make a statement on the contents of this publication. [119017]

Mr. Battle: This Government's position on both the Mujaheddin-e-Khalq Organisation (MKO) and the National Council for the Resistance of Iran (NCRI) is

19 Apr 2000 : Column: 499W

clear. We do not recognise the NCRI, of which the MKO is the dominant group. The British Government remain firmly opposed to the violence practised by the MKO.

We understand that the Mojahed publication is registered as a newspaper with the Post Office. As long as people do not break our laws, they are free to express views with which we might profoundly disagree.

BBC World Service

Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many countries receive BBC World Service broadcasts. [119590]

Mr. Hain: The BBC World Service broadcasts to all countries in the world. The latest weekly global audience figure of 151 million is based on surveys of listeners in 122 countries. There are very few places where the World Service cannot be received. But in a number of places it is difficult or impossible to measure audiences.

India

Mr. McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has held with his ministerial colleagues in the European Union concerning the appointment of a commission by the Indian Government relating to religious freedom in India; and if he will make a statement. [119561]

Mr. Hain: Officials in our High Commission in New Delhi regularly discuss human rights issues, including freedom of religion, with their EU counterparts. I also discussed rights of minorities, including religious minorities, with my Indian interlocutors during my visit there in November. We will continue to monitor the situation closely.

Gibraltar

Ms Dari Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress has been made in the current discussions about issues concerning Gibraltar in the European Union. [119997]

Mr. Robin Cook: I am pleased to announce that, following extensive consultation with the Government of Gibraltar and with their support, and with the encouragement of our EU partners, the United Kingdom has successfully concluded discussions with Spain to overcome difficulties which have arisen on a number of issues within the European Union concerning Gibraltar. As a result:

arrangements have been established whereby formal communications and notification of decisions between Gibraltar authorities and their counterparts in other member states under EU legislation will be conveyed through a Unit established in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London. The arrangements will enable Gibraltar to derive immediate benefits in the development of its banking and insurance industries. They will unblock important measures for the development of the single market and in the Justice and Home Affairs field to the benefit of the UK and Gibraltar and prevent similar blockages in the future. The arrangements uphold the constitutional position of Gibraltar, while at the same time removing a major obstacle to the development of EU business. The arrangements are being notified to the Secretary General of the Council in Brussels together with an exchange of correspondence between the UK and Spanish

19 Apr 2000 : Column: 500W

Permanent Representatives to the EU. A copy of the exchange of correspondence and the arrangements will be placed in the Library of the House.

the identity card issued in Gibraltar will be recognised as a valid travel document throughout the EU, following some reformatting which is proposed by the Government of Gibraltar to associate the identity card with the UK as the member state responsible for Gibraltar. The UK Permanent Representative to the EU is writing to the Permanent Representatives of all other EU member states to inform them of the proposed reformatting. A copy of this letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

arrangements will be established under the Schengen Convention to enhance co-operation between the Royal Gibraltar Police and the Spanish police forces in the fight against transfrontier and other crimes in the region, as part of the Europe-wide fight against crime called for at the Tampere Special European Council last October and in keeping with Gibraltar's longstanding commitment in this respect. These arrangements have been initialled. The intention is that they will be signed by the Home Secretary and his Spanish counterpart, as required by the Schengen Convention, when the Council Decision on the UK Schengen application is adopted. A copy of the initialled text will be placed in the Library of the House.

a revised version of the draft Council Decision on the UK's Schengen application, including the relevant addition covering Gibraltar which has hitherto been left open, will be circulated by the Presidency shortly. It will provide for Gibraltar's participation in all the provisions in which the UK participates (except the Schengen Information System and cross border surveillance). It will be submitted to the scrutiny committee.

The Government welcome the outcome of these discussions. It represents a very good outcome for the UK, for Gibraltar and for all our EU partners. We hope that it will also help to improve the climate of dialogue and the spirit of co-operation with regard to Gibraltar between Spain, and the UK and Gibraltar.

Chechnya

Mr. Tony Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of (a) the appointment of the Presidential Special Representative for Human Rights in Chechnya and (b) whether Council of Europe representatives working with him will have operational freedom to investigate human rights abuses without hindrance from the Russian authorities. [119453]

Mr. Vaz: We accept that the appointment of Mr. Kalamanov is intended to demonstrate Russia's commitment to its human rights undertakings in Chechnya. We have supported the efforts of the Council of Europe's Secretary General to establish conditions for the attachment of CoE Representatives to Mr. Kalamanov's office which ensure that they will be able to examine and report cases of human rights violations which are brought to their attention.

South-Eastern Europe (Stability Pact)

Mr. Tony Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions donor countries have had with the countries of South Eastern Europe with respect to their role as parties to the Stability Pact. [119455]

19 Apr 2000 : Column: 501W

Mr. Vaz: Donor countries have had numerous discussions with countries of South Eastern Europe about the Stability Pact, both multilaterally and bilaterally. The most recent multilateral meeting was the Regional Funding Conference which I attended in Brussels on 29-30 March.

Mr. Tony Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions are taking place between Albania, Bulgaria and Macedonia and Stability Pact donors about finance for Corridor 8. [119457]

Mr. Vaz: Albania, Bulgaria and Macedonia discussed the question of Corridor eight most recently at a meeting of their Foreign Ministers on 24 March. We know from the summary of basic infrastructure investments prepared by the European Investment Bank for the Regional Funding Conference for South-Eastern Europe that Albania has also had discussions with the European Investment Bank and Italy about its proposals for Corridor eight. Decisions on allocating funds to particular projects in the framework of the Stability Pact are expected soon.

Mr. Tony Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what resources have been committed by each significant donor to the Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe; which resources have already been disbursed; and for what purpose. [119454]

Mr. Vaz: The Office of the Special Co-ordinator of the Stability Pact has not yet produced details of donor commitments. The total commitment made at the recent Regional Funding Conference for South-Eastern Europe was over 2.4 billion euros. The Office of the Special Co-ordinator is arranging a meeting to discuss commitments to individual projects.

Mr. Tony Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress is being made on bilateral and multilateral initiatives with respect to (a) economic development, (b) trade and (c) organised crime and corruption in South Eastern Europe. [119456]

Mr. Vaz: Numerous initiatives concerning these issues have been submitted by individual countries and international financial institutions. A large number have been proposed under the Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe and were tabled at the Regional Funding Conference in Brussels 29-30 March (details are on www.stabilitypact.org). The Office of the Special Co-ordinator is arranging a meeting to discuss commitments to individual projects.

---