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Federal Republic of Yugoslavia

37. Mr. Illsley: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the situation in Yugoslavia. [135198]

Mr. Vaz: We applaud the peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy which President Kostunica is leading in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. Programmes of EU and UK assistance will contribute to the international community's efforts to help the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia to overcome its immediate economic difficulties and to rejoin the family of nations.

Mrs. Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with his (a) European and (b) United States counterparts regarding developments in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. [135428]

Mr. Vaz [holding answer 6 November 2000]: I refer to my reply to the right hon. Member for Horsham (Mr. Maude) on 25 October 2000, Official Report, columns 148-49W.

Trade (EU Market Access)

Mrs. Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment of the impact on ACP producers of rice, sugar, rum and bananas of the European Commission's Everything but Arms initiative which seeks to extend duty and quota free access to the EU market to 48 least developed countries. [136824]

Clare Short: I have been asked to reply.

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The Government support the European Commission's initiative and recognise the need to consider carefully the potential impact of the proposal on non-Least Developed Countries Africa, Caribbean and Pacific producers. Much depends on the ability of LDCs to respond to the new incentives but the build up of exports is likely to take time. Initial reform of the EU internal sugar and rice regimes is likely to take place over the next few years under pressure from international trade liberalisation agreements.

Memorandum on EEC Negotiations 1970-72

Mr. Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will place the text of Sir Con O'Neill's Memorandum on the EEC negotiations of 1970-72 in the Library. [134177]

Mr. Vaz: Sir Con O'Neill's report on the negotiations of 1970-72 for the UK's entry to the EEC was published by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on 7 September and copies have already been placed in the Libraries of the House. The original file copy of the report is now available at the Public Record Office under reference FCO 75/1.

Burma

Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to encourage the development of democracy in Burma. [134921]

Mr. Battle: Our policy is to press the Burmese regime at every opportunity to enter into substantive dialogue with democratic parties, including ethnic minorities, and to improve their appalling human rights record. In April this year we successfully persuaded EU partners to strengthen the EU Common Position on Burma by publishing the list of regime members subject to an EU travel ban, imposing a freeze on their funds held in the EU, and banning the supply of equipment that might be used for internal repression or terrorism. We believe continued pressure forces the regime to take note of the international community's concerns, as witnessed by their recent release of the British prisoner, James Mawdsley. We will continue with this policy: forthcoming opportunities include the UN General Assembly resolution, the ILO Governing Body, and the EU-ASEAN Ministerial meeting. We also support the work of Razali Ismail in his good offices roles as the UN Special Envoy for Burma.

Dr. Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with his EU and UN counterparts concerning multilateral investment sanctions against Burma. [136764]

Mr. Battle [holding answer 6 November 2000]: We regularly discuss measures against Burma with our EU Partners but there is no consensus for multilateral investment sanctions. Nor is there consensus for such measures within the UN. We do not encourage trade or investment in Burma. We have suspended financial support for trade missions and trade promotions. In March I told Premier Oil, the largest UK investor in Burma, that we would welcome its moving out. We discourage

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tourism as well. We are currently working with partners on a resolution on Burma to be adopted at the UN General Assembly.

EU Enlargement

Mr. Cash: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on his policy towards discussions of EU enlargement at the IGC in Nice. [135091]

Mr. Vaz: The UK is committed to a swift and successful enlargement of the European Union. In the current intergovernmental conference we are discussing the institutional issues which need to be resolved in order for enlargement to proceed. Discussions at the informal Biarritz summit indicated that we are on course for agreement at Nice on these issues. We welcome this.

Charter of Fundamental Rights

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the effects of Article 21 of the draft Charter of Fundamental Rights on his Department's employment of women in jobs requiring considerable manual strength. [135571]

Mr. Vaz: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Stone (Mr. Cash) on 2 November 2000, Official Report, column 555W.

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on his policy regarding the legal status of the Charter of Fundamental Rights. [136395]

Mr. Vaz: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Tunbridge Wells (Mr. Norman) on 1 February 2000, Official Report, column 541W.

China

Rev. Martin Smyth: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recommendations the UK Government have made to other EU member states on the future of the EU/China human rights dialogue. [135767]

Mr. Battle: The Government take an active role in the EU in determining the direction and strategy for addressing the human rights situation in China. EU partners approved a UK proposal in February 2000 to consider ways of strengthening the EU/China human rights dialogue process to make it a more effective mechanism for addressing common concerns with the Chinese authorities. EU Foreign Ministers are expected to discuss the outcome of this review at the General Affairs Council on 4 December.

Mr. Stevenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what developments there have been in the UK Government's inquiries as to the (a) whereabouts and (b) welfare of the 11th Panchen Lama. [135513]

Mr. Battle: The Government raised the case of Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, the Dalai Lama's choice as the 11th Panchen Lama, during the fifth round of the UK/China Human Rights Dialogue in London between 16-18 October. We pressed the Chinese to allow access

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to the boy by an independent figure acceptable to the Chinese Government and Tibetans to verify his health and living conditions.

The Chinese stated that the boy was well and attending school. They said that his parents did not want international figures and the media intruding into his life. Two photographs claimed to be of Ghedun Choekyi Nyima were shown to us but not handed over.

Mr. Stevenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions are planned within the Council of Ministers concerning the future of the EU/China human rights dialogue. [135514]

Mr. Battle: EU Foreign Ministers are expected to review the EU/China human rights dialogue process at the General Affairs Council on 4 December. The Council is also expected to discuss the human rights situation in China in March 2001 following the next round of the EU/China Human Rights dialogue expected to take place in Stockholm in February 2001.

Mr. Stevenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress was made on issues concerning Tibet during the last round of UK/China human rights dialogue, held recently in London. [135515]

Mr. Battle: The situation in Tibet was a particular focus of the fifth round of the UK/China Human Rights Dialogue held in London between 16-18 October. We pressed the Chinese authorities to resume a dialogue with the Dalai Lama on a long-term political solution to the question of Tibet. We received a briefing from the Chinese on recent contacts with representatives of the Dalai Lama and urged the Chinese to take these forward as a matter of importance.

We also made clear our specific concerns about the situation in Tibet, including freedom of religion, the treatment of Buddhist monks and nuns, Han Chinese migration to Tibet, the investigation into the 1998 riots at Drapchi Prison, and the closure of the Gyatso Orphanage in Lhasa.

We also asked about a number of individual cases of concern including Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, the Dalai Lama's choice as Panchen Lama. The Chinese side displayed two photographs claimed to be of Ghedum Choekyi Nyima to substantiate their assertion that he was in good health and receiving education.

We also sought and received a commitment from the Chinese authorities to allow the proposed visit to Tibet by the All-Party Group on Tibet to be carried forward into 2001.

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