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Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty
22. Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the Indian Government and the Pakistani Government regarding the Comprehensive Test Ban treaty; and if he will make a statement. [99967]
Mr. Hain: We frequently discuss non-proliferation issues with India and Pakistan. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary held talks with the Indian National Security Adviser on 27 October. During my recent visit to India, I urged the Indian Government to follow up its public commitment to forge a national consensus on signing the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty. Senior officials will hold non-proliferation talks in New Delhi and Islamabad in early December.
Kosovo
23. Mr. John Cryer: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with his US counterparts on the use of depleted uranium weapons in the war in Kosovo. [99968]
Mr. Vaz: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has had no discussions with his US counterpart on the use of depleted uranium weapons in the war in Kosovo.
Mr. Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the situation in Kosovo. [99945]
Mr. Robin Cook: Six months ago Kosovo was terrorised by repression directed from Belgrade. 850,000 people had been expelled from Kosovo and it was run by the Serb army and paramilitaries. Today, KFOR has replaced the VJ. 810,000 of those refugees have been able to return to their homes, the Serb security forces have been expelled and Kosovo is run by a UN administration.
Formidable challenges remain in creating a Kosovo that is at peace with itself and with its neighbours. We wholeheartedly condemn the minority of Kosovars who have not seized the opportunity to build a Kosovo free from fear but have perpetuated the cycle of violence. But the position of the great majority of the people of Kosovo is far better now than it was under Milosevic's brutality or than it would have been if NATO had not intervened to end it.
Russia
24. Mr. Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the United Kingdom's bilateral relations with Russia. [99969]
Mr. Vaz: Relations with Russia, and her stability and development, remain important for the United Kingdom. The UK has already done much to help Russia with the difficult process of change: there is a strong UK interest in further progress. Our relationship enables us to speak frankly about areas of disagreement, including Chechnya.
Drugs Trade
25. Mrs. Fyfe:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of British policy on combating the international trade in illicit drugs. [99970]
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Mr. Battle:
FCO co-ordinates the overseas drugs efforts of the relevant Government Departments including HM Customs and Excise and the Home Office. We also work to improve the effectiveness of the various international anti-drugs bodies, including at the UN and EU.
FCO activity is fully within the Government's 10 year anti-drug strategy under the UK's Anti-Drugs Co-ordinator, Keith Hellawell. Specifically, the FCO co-ordinates supply side overseas activity contributing to meeting the objective of reducing the availability of legal drugs in the UK.
We spend £6 million per year, on supporting projects worldwide within the framework of the UK drugs strategy to prevent the production and trafficking to the UK of Class A drugs, particularly heroin and cocaine.
26. Mr. Clifton-Brown:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what issues relating to the accountability of the European Commission are on the agenda for the next IGC; and if he will make a statement. [99972]
Mr. Vaz:
The forthcoming IGC will consider the institutional changes that are needed to prepare for the next enlargement. The Government fully support this. Enlargement is not just about the applicant countries preparing to join the Union, it is also about the current member states preparing to receive them.
27. Mr. Stephen O'Brien:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what criteria and performance measures relating to the promotion of United Kingdom trade his Department uses in its annual appraisals of each of the United Kingdom's Ambassadors and High Commissioners. [99973]
Mr. Hain:
All Ambassadors and High Commissioners now report to the Chief Executive of British Trade International, the unified FCO and DTI operation, on trade promotion and development work. Their performance will be assessed against annual objectives agreed with British Trade International.
28. Mr. Gerrard:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what are the current waiting times for interviews for entry clearance visas for (a) spouses and (b) fiancees in Islamabad. [99975]
Mr. Vaz:
As at 26 November, the waiting time in Islamabad for interview for spouses was 38 weeks and for fiancees 46 weeks.
29. Mr. Gareth R. Thomas:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what further action he is taking to promote the enlargement of the EU. [99976]
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Mr. Vaz:
I refer my hon. Friend to the oral answer given by my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary today to my hon. Friend the Member for Barnsley, East and Mexborough (Mr. Ennis).
30. Sir Geoffrey Johnson Smith:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will set out the Government's approach to greater EU integration at the next IGC. [99977]
Mr. Vaz:
The forthcoming IGC will consider the institutional changes that are needed to prepare for the next enlargement. The Government fully support this. Enlargement is not just about the applicant countries preparing to join the Union, it is also about the current member states preparing to receive them.
31. Mr. Leigh:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the European Commission concerning the volume of legislation produced by the European Union. [99978]
Mr. Vaz:
The Commission agrees with us that what counts is not the amount of legislation, but whether it is necessary, efficient and proportionate. That is why the Government pushed successfully for the Subsidiarity Protocol at the Amsterdam IGC, to ensure that legislation is only directed at those areas which require it.
32. Mr. Crausby:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress has been made towards normalising relations between Argentina and the Falkland Islands. [99979]
Mr. Battle:
The visit to Britain last autumn by President Menem of Argentina and the Visit of His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales to Argentina this March have helped to develop a new spirit of reconciliation and co-operation between our two countries. Later this week I shall accompany His Royal Highness The Duke of York to Buenos Aires for the inauguration of the new Argentine President De La Rua.
An important milestone in improving relations with Argentina was the Joint Statement that my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary and the Argentine Foreign Minister signed in July.
Air links between the Falklands and South America have been restored and safeguarded as a result, and now include a monthly flight to southern Argentina. Co-operation has been stepped up to conserve fish stocks in the South-West Atlantic. And the Falkland Islands Government now allow holders of Argentine passports to visit.
All these measures have the support of the Islanders' elected Councillors. Their role in this dialogue is instrumental. None of these measures affects our solid commitment to defend the Islanders' right to determine their own future. The sovereignty of the Falklands is not for negotiation.
33. Mr. Blizzard:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he
7 Dec 1999 : Column: 514W
has made of the safety of British oil workers following the upsurge of violence in the oil-producing areas of Nigeria. [99980]
Mr. Hain:
Our consular staff in Lagos are in close contact with the Community Liaison Officers and contacts within the business and NGO community in the region. There is a warden network in place to pass on advice to the British community.
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