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Yugoslavia
Mr. Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs in what forum, and in what form, the Greek Government agreed there was a legal base for military action against Yugoslavia between March and June 1999. [98560]
Mr. Vaz: The then Secretary-General of NATO announced on 23 March that he had directed the Supreme Allied Commander in Europe to initiate air operations in the Former Republic of Yugoslavia. The Secretary- General noted that his decision had been taken after extensive consultations with all the Allies, including Greece.
Mr. Blunt:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will set out the legal basis for NATO's military action in Yugoslavia between March and June 1999. [98561]
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Mr. Vaz:
The Government have set out the position on a number of occasions. This is that cases have arisen (as in Northern Iraq in 1991) when, in the light of all the circumstances, a limited use of force was justifiable in support of purposes laid down by the Security Council, but without the Council's express authorisation, when that was the only means to avert an immediate and overwhelming humanitarian catastrophe. Such cases would in the nature of things be exceptional and would depend on an objective assessment of the factual circumstances at the time, and on the terms of the relevant decisions of the Security Council bearing on the situation in question.
In the case of Kosovo, NATO took the view in March of this year, given the circumstances at the time, that the use of force was the only route left to avert a humanitarian catastrophe.
Mr. Blunt:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the status of Foreign Office Policy Document No. 148 (1986). [98562]
Mr. Vaz:
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Stratford-on-Avon (Mr. Maples) on 22 November 1999, Official Report, column 18W.
Mr. Menzies Campbell:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the information technology projects currently being undertaken by his Department and by agencies responsible to his Department, including (a) the start date, (b) the planned completion date, (c) the current expected completion date, (d) the planned costs and (e) the current estimated cost; and if he will make a statement. [99672]
Mr. Battle:
The FCO has under way the following IT projects:
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Mr. Menzies Campbell:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the title of research studies, audits and surveys (a) being undertaken and (b) commissioned by his Department for completion within (i) 1999 and (ii) 2000, stating in each case whether and when the results are due to be published. [99674]
Mr. Hain:
The information requested is not centrally recorded and covers such a wide range of activity that a comprehensive list could be compiled only at disproportionate cost. Research studies commissioned and published in 1999 or intended for publication in 2000 include:
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Audits and surveys in 1999 include the regular series of internal audits conducted by the FCO's Internal Audit department in accordance with Treasury requirements. Reports of internal audits are sent to the National Audit Office, but the details are not routinely published because to do so could harm the effective management and operations of the public service.
Mr. Menzies Campbell:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the titles of departmental reports being prepared with a view to publication in (a) 1999 and (b) 2000, stating in each case the planned date of publication. [99673]
Mr. Hain:
Consistent with current Whitehall-wide practice, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's annual Department reports are published 21 days after the spring Budget:
Mr. Drew:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will provide quantification of exports in the next issue of the Strategic Export Control Annual Report. [100506]
Mr. Hain:
We will consider the format and content of future reports in light of responses to the first two Annual Reports, taking into account in particular the eventual
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report of the Joint Inquiry being carried out by the House of Commons Foreign Affairs, Defence, Trade and Industry and International Development Committees.
Mr. Worthington:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many applications he has received from citizens of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia for visas to visit the United Kingdom in each of the past three years. [100323]
Mr. Vaz:
The information requested is not collected centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Mr. Worthington:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the development of the United Kingdom's relations with the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia since the conclusion of the war in Kosovo. [100325]
Mr. Vaz:
We warmly welcomed the support given by the Macedonian Government and people during the Kosovo crisis, and we continue to work to strengthen our bilateral relations. We also welcome the opportunities provided for closer co-operation through the Stability Pact and look forward to an early start on negotiations for a Stabilisation and Association Agreement between Macedonia and the European Union. We have encouraged the Macedonian Government in their preparation of a NATO Membership Action Plan.
Mr. Worthington:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to allow the British Embassy in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia to issue visitors visas for the United Kingdom. [100324]
Mr. Vaz:
The British Embassy in Skopje will begin accepting applications for visitor visas as soon as new purpose-built premises are ready. On present plans this is likely to be around the middle of 2000.
FIRECREST--an infrastructure project to provide modern, easy to use office automation systems throughout the FCO, at home and overseas.
GTP--an integrated and managed Global Telecommunications service, being procured under PFI principles. The costs shown cover procurement only. The projected costs of FCO communications over 10 years are estimated to be £238 million.
FORTRESS--to provide desk officers with electronic delivery and access to intelligence material.
VIP--to provide an integrated visa entry clearance for Posts.
POAC--to provide a replacement accounting system for Posts.
PASSPORTS--to provide modern machine readable passport systems at major consular Posts.
PAY--to contract a replacement payroll bureau service.
INTRANET--to provide Posts and FCO UK with an Intranet.
CDB--to provide a database for Commercial Officers at Posts.
1999
History Notes
The Zinoviev Letter
Women in Diplomacy
Focus International Papers
Piracy and Armed Robbery at Sea
Bosnia and Herzegovina: Progress Towards Democracy
Progress Towards Gender Equality
Iraq: Sanctions and the "Oil for Food" Agreement
Enlargement of the European Union
Burma: 10 Years of Repression
The International Criminal Court, Questions and Answers
Population and Development
NATO's Fiftieth Anniversary Summit
Gibraltar: Partnership for Prosperity
Kosovo: Chronology, March 1998-March 1999
The Cologne Debt Initiative
Britain and China: A Growing Partnership
The Exploration and Peaceful Uses of Outer Space
Money Laundering
East Timor: A Historical Background
Britain's Parliamentary Co-operation with Russia
1998
Wilton Park Papers
The United Nations in The Twenty-First Century
Building Political Stability in Sub-Saharan Africa
Diplomacy for the Twenty-First Century: 'Re-Crafting The Old Guild'
Building Bridges Between Islam and the West
Nordic and Baltic Security and Prosperity
Challenges to East Asian Security
The Search for Peace in the Middle East
In addition, unclassified versions of some of the papers prepared by the FCO's Research Analysts in recent years will be placed on the FCO's website next year.
Europe after Economic and Monetary Union
The Continuing threat of Nuclear Proliferation
Protecting the Environment and Sustaining Development towards a Green Millennium
Current issues in International Diplomacy and Foreign Policy--Volume I: 1999
Volume II: 2000
2000
Documents on British Policy Overseas
Series III, Volume III.
(a) On 30 March 1999, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office published "Foreign and Commonwealth Office--The Government's Expenditure Plans 1999-2000 to 2001-02" (CM 4209)
(b) In Spring 2000, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office will publish "Foreign and Commonwealth Office--The Government's Expenditure Plans 2000-01 to 2001-02". It is not possible to specify the exact publication date until the date of the spring Budget has been decided.
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