House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 1 Dec 1999 (pt 20)

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Macedonia

Mr. Worthington: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what procedure citizens of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia have to undertake in order to obtain a visa to visit the United Kingdom. [100322]

Mr. Vaz: Skopje offers only a limited service because of accommodation constraints. Applications are accepted from diplomats; those seeking urgent medical treatment; British Government and British Council sponsored visitors, and refugee cases accepted by either UNHCR or the Home Office. Other Macedonian nationals who wish to visit the UK may apply at any other visa issuing Post.

Falklands

Mr. Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he intends to have further discussions with the Argentine Government regarding a common fisheries agreement for the Falkland Islands; and if he will make a statement. [100019]

Mr. Battle: The Falkland Islands Government regulates fishing in Falkland Islands waters. However, the British and Argentine Governments have agreed the need for longer-term measures to ensure the sustainability of fish stocks in the high seas of the South West Atlantic and that this should be achieved through the establishment of a multilateral fisheries regime. The European Commission has an on-going dialogue with the Argentine Government on proposals for such an arrangement. We actively support these discussions and we raised the issue at the recent South Atlantic Fisheries Commission in Buenos Aires on 25 and 26 November 1999.

Turkey

Mr. Nigel Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received on the security situation in Turkey following the announcement by the PKK of its withdrawal from armed struggle. [100009]

Mr. Vaz: We receive regular reporting from the British Embassy in Ankara on the security situation in Turkey. Following the recent declaration by the Kurdistan

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Workers' Party (PKK) that it will end its armed struggle, the security situation has improved, but isolated clashes between PKK members and Turkish Armed Forces are still occurring.

The British Government welcome the PKK's declaration. However, we believe that it is still too early to assess whether the armed struggle is in reality at an end.

International Criminal Court

Mr. Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what is the timetable for publication of the draft legislation on the International Criminal Court; and what consultation he will hold about this legislation; [100657]

Mr. Hain: Draft legislation to enable ratification of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC) will be published in the course of this parliamentary session. After publication, all parliamentarians, organisations and individuals interested in the ICC will be given an opportunity to comment.

Mr. Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the Government intends to ratify the International Criminal Court Treaty. [100652]

Mr. Hain: The UK requires legislation before we can ratify the International Criminal Court Statute. This legislation will be published in draft form in the current parliamentary session and introduced as soon as the parliamentary timetable allows.

British Trade International

Mr. Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the markets which have been selected by British Trade International for special promotion; and what plans he has to develop British trade in each of these. [100654]

Mr. Battle: The following tables list those markets identified as Target Markets by British Trade International and gives details of the strategies which are being implemented for each market:

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(a) Under-exploited and newly emerging markets for more experienced exporters

Countries Promotional launch Strategies

Brazil (in the context of Mercosur) November 1998 Provide reliable and impartial information about opportunities and risks in the market;

awareness raising events in the UK;

improve exporters' market specific skills (eg languages, marketing)

Central Europe

Poland Hungary Czech Republic February 1999 October 1999 February 2000 Under this two-year campaign, each country is the subject of an individual market initiative, this includes a London-based launch conference in partnership with the CBI, an in-market launch event and a series of UK regional seminars delivered in partnership with local business organisations, focusing on the detail of doing business in the market, both as an exporter and as an investor;

the programme also includes a sector-based approach: main focus on automotive and electronic components, infrastructure projects, financial services, environment and consumer goods and retail

China/Hong Kong

China January 1998 A 2-year programme of awareness raising events in every region of the UK;

an intensive programme of sector-focused activity

Hong Kong January 1998 Promote Hong Kong's role as a gateway for British companies wanting to access the China market;

focus on the expanding range of opportunities in IT and related sectors;

promote the opportunities in Hong Kong's massive infrastructure plans

promote Britain as a source for quality consumer goods including fashion

Egypt November 1998 Raise the profile of Egypt as a destination for UK services, products and investment;

improve the flow and quality of market and sector information available, principally to SMEs;

develop a viable Business Council (commercially-driven and led);

encourage the formation of SME joint-ventures and other forms of partnership

India January 1993 Plans are in hand to widen the scope of the Indo-British Partnership which promotes exports and investment. The new programme will be announced by the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he visits India in January 2000

Japan April 1998 Help British companies win business in Japan and with Japanese companies worldwide;

cross-sectoral themes of high technology support for UK businesses setting up in Japan and assistance to companies to invest directly in Japan and set up facilities there

Mexico November 1999 (in Mexico) Develop an SME partnership programme in priority sectors;

January 2000 (in UK) special focus on the use of electronic media, with the development of a number of virtual trade promotion concepts;

support for regional links between organisations and businesses in the UK and Mexico

South Africa May 1998 Close co-operation with the South African Department of Trade and Industry to promote trade and investment partnerships;

major Partnership Week events in South Africa, focusing on PFI opportunities;

UK/South African SME partnership programme, developing linkages with previously disadvantaged groups;

'thinksouthafrica' gateway website

Taiwan April 1999 Focus on events in the UK and Taiwan (including inward and outward missions) across a small number of priority sectors

Turkey June 1998 Awareness raising activities and events in the UK;

assist the promotion of the Turkish market through relationships between representative bodies in the UK and Turkey.

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(b) Markets for new and inexperienced exporters

Countries Promotional launch Strategies

United States of America November 1998 Export USA aims to give small companies, particularly those with innovative products, services or processes, the confidence to tackle the market effectively. Firms pay £1,000 for: on-going contact with Commercial Officers; market assessment and advice; short marketing course at a university business school; visit to a trade fair or conference in the USA; and assistance with commercial publicity

Canada December 1999 Export Canada will be broadly similar to Export USA, but will place greater emphasis on new exporters

Western Europe September 1998 The Export Explorer scheme has been developed for new and inexperienced exporters aimed at Western Europe. It is delivered through Business Links and other intermediaries at a cost to the company of £99 plus travel. The package is delivered as: Market Explorer, offering companies the opportunity to visit one of the easy access starter markets of the Republic of Ireland, Belgium, the Netherlands and the Nordic countries,; Trade Fair Explorer, which helps firms to visit one of the major trade exhibitions in Western Europe;

a continuous programme of sector initiatives, using British Trade International's 18-strong team of Export Promoters for Western Europe

Countries	Promotional launch	Strategies
United States of America	November 1998	Export USA aims to give small companies, particularly those with innovative products, services or processes, the confidence to tackle the market effectively. Firms pay £1,000 for: on-going contact with Commercial Officers; market assessment and advice; short marketing course at a university business school; visit to a trade fair or conference in the USA; and assistance with commercial publicity

Canada	December 1999	Export Canada will be broadly similar to Export USA, but will place greater emphasis on new exporters

Western Europe	September 1998	The Export Explorer scheme has been developed for new and inexperienced exporters aimed at Western Europe. It is delivered through Business Links and other intermediaries at a cost to the company of £99 plus travel. The package is delivered as: Market Explorer, offering companies the opportunity to visit one of the easy access starter markets of the Republic of Ireland, Belgium, the Netherlands and the Nordic countries,; Trade Fair Explorer, which helps firms to visit one of the major trade exhibitions in Western Europe;
		a continuous programme of sector initiatives, using British Trade International's 18-strong team of Export Promoters for Western Europe

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Countries	Promotional launch	Strategies
Brazil (in the context of Mercosur)	November 1998	Provide reliable and impartial information about opportunities and risks in the market;
		awareness raising events in the UK;
		improve exporters' market specific skills (eg languages, marketing)

Central Europe
Poland Hungary Czech Republic	February 1999 October 1999 February 2000	Under this two-year campaign, each country is the subject of an individual market initiative, this includes a London-based launch conference in partnership with the CBI, an in-market launch event and a series of UK regional seminars delivered in partnership with local business organisations, focusing on the detail of doing business in the market, both as an exporter and as an investor;
		the programme also includes a sector-based approach: main focus on automotive and electronic components, infrastructure projects, financial services, environment and consumer goods and retail
China/Hong Kong
China	January 1998	A 2-year programme of awareness raising events in every region of the UK;
		an intensive programme of sector-focused activity

Hong Kong	January 1998	Promote Hong Kong's role as a gateway for British companies wanting to access the China market;
		focus on the expanding range of opportunities in IT and related sectors;
		promote the opportunities in Hong Kong's massive infrastructure plans
		promote Britain as a source for quality consumer goods including fashion

Egypt	November 1998	Raise the profile of Egypt as a destination for UK services, products and investment;
		improve the flow and quality of market and sector information available, principally to SMEs;
		develop a viable Business Council (commercially-driven and led);
		encourage the formation of SME joint-ventures and other forms of partnership

India	January 1993	Plans are in hand to widen the scope of the Indo-British Partnership which promotes exports and investment. The new programme will be announced by the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he visits India in January 2000

Japan	April 1998	Help British companies win business in Japan and with Japanese companies worldwide;
		cross-sectoral themes of high technology support for UK businesses setting up in Japan and assistance to companies to invest directly in Japan and set up facilities there

Mexico	November 1999 (in Mexico)	Develop an SME partnership programme in priority sectors;
	January 2000 (in UK)	special focus on the use of electronic media, with the development of a number of virtual trade promotion concepts;
		support for regional links between organisations and businesses in the UK and Mexico

South Africa	May 1998	Close co-operation with the South African Department of Trade and Industry to promote trade and investment partnerships;
		major Partnership Week events in South Africa, focusing on PFI opportunities;
		UK/South African SME partnership programme, developing linkages with previously disadvantaged groups;
		'thinksouthafrica' gateway website

Taiwan	April 1999	Focus on events in the UK and Taiwan (including inward and outward missions) across a small number of priority sectors

Turkey	June 1998	Awareness raising activities and events in the UK;
		assist the promotion of the Turkish market through relationships between representative bodies in the UK and Turkey.