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UN Security Council
34. Mr. Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if it is his policy that the EU should have a seat on the UN Security Council [99981]
Mr. Hain: Under the UN Charter, an EU seat is not possible as membership of the Security Council is confined to states. The Treaty on European Union already makes provision for how EU member states should act when on the Security Council:
"Member states which are also members of the United Nations Security Council will concert and keep the other member states fully informed. Member states which are permanent members of the Security Council will, in the execution of their functions, ensure the defence of the positions and the interests of the Union, without prejudice to their responsibilities under the provisions of the United Nations Charter."
East Timor
35. Mr. Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the UN's initiatives in East Timor and Indonesia. [99982]
Mr. Battle: The United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET), which will have overall responsibility for administration and security in the territory, continues to deploy. The handover from the International Force for East Timor (INTERFET) to UNTAET's Peace-Keeping operation will take place as soon as possible taking into account conditions on the ground.
EU Qualified Majority Voting
Miss Kirkbride: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will raise the extension of qualified majority voting at the next inter-governmental conference. [99962]
Mr. Robin Cook: The Cologne European Council in June agreed that the possible extension of qualified majority voting would be on the agenda for the next IGC.
Our own position on QMV is clear. We are happy to look at extension on a case-by-case basis. Where QMV is in Britain's interests, we will support it. But where key areas of national interest are at stake, such as Treaty change, border controls, defence or taxation, we will insist on retaining unanimity.
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Mr. Ben Chapman:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about progress on the implementation of the agreement he signed with Argentina on 14 July regarding the Falkland Islands. [101821]
Mr. Battle:
A number of the measures set out in the British-Argentine Joint Statement of 14 July have already been implemented. The Falkland Islands Government have admitted Argentine passport-holders to the Falklands since July. All deadlines have been met to restore air links between the Falklands and South America and to introduce measures to combat the common menace of poaching of fish stocks.
We continue to consolidate progress on the remaining issues. We are working with Argentina on a Memorandum of Understanding on the terms of a study to determine the cost and feasibility of removing the remaining land mines from the Falklands. Both sides continue to work towards a multilateral arrangement to regulate fishing in the high seas of the South-West Atlantic. An Argentine architect has recently visited the Falklands to discuss proposals for construction of a memorial at the Argentine cemetery there. The Argentine Government are committed to review their use of Falklands place names.
None of these developments affect our commitment to defend the Islanders' right to determine their own future. The sovereignty of the Falkland Islands is not for negotiation.
Mr. Baker:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what guarantees have been given to the Saudi Government in relation to potential nuclear threats to that country. [101459]
Mr. Peter Bradley:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what official engagements ministers fulfilled in Belize between 1990 and 1999. [101739]
Mr. Battle:
I can answer only for the period since May 1997.
Since May 1997, the only FCO Minister to have visited Belize is the then Minister of State, my hon. Friend the Member for Manchester, Central (Mr. Lloyd), who visited Belize in February 1998. His programme included official calls on the then Prime Minister, Mr. Manuel Esquivel, the then Foreign Minister, Mr. Dean Barrow, and the then Leader of the Opposition, Mr. Said Musa. My hon. Friend also called on the Department of Corrections, the Youth Enhancement Academy and Hattieville Prison.
Mr. Corbyn:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what inquiries have been made by the British Embassy in Anuncion into the safety and security of documents relating to Operation Condor being held by authorities in Paraguay. [101620]
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Mr. Battle:
Documents relating to Operation Condor are among the records held by the Centre of Documentation and Archives for the Defence of Human Rights. They are stored on the premises of the Supreme Court of Paraguay. Our Ambassador has spoken to people concerned with their safekeeping, and is not aware of any current threat to the safety and security of the documents.
Mr. Corbyn:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assistance his Department is giving to drug eradication projects in (a) Colombia, (b) Ecuador, (c) Bolivia and (d) Peru. [101512]
Mr. Battle:
The FCO is not providing assistance to drug eradication projects in Colombia, Ecuador, Bolivia or Peru. The main focus of FCO counter-drugs assistance in these countries is on interdiction/law enforcement training. We are currently supporting two UN International Drugs Programmes (UNDCP) projects in alternative development for Bolivia and Peru through DFID.
Mr. Corbyn:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what support and assistance his Department is providing to civic and human rights groups in (a) Colombia, (b) Ecuador, (c) Bolivia and (d) Peru. [101511]
Mr. Battle:
The information is as follows:
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(a) Columbia: Our Embassy in Bogota maintains close contacts with a range of civic and human rights groups in Colombia. Through the FCO's Conflict Prevention Fund and the Embassy's Small Grants Scheme, we have contributed funds to a number of groups, such as The Citizen's Mandate for Peace, Life and Liberty Project Fund, which encourages debate within civil society. We have also contributed funds towards human rights organisations monitoring the human rights situation in the department of Antioquia (amongst the most violent departments in Colombia). We also provide human rights training to the Colombian Police Force.
(b) Ecuador: We work closely with a number of independent human rights groups including the Human Rights Permanent Assembly (APDH) and the Latin American Human Rights Association (ALDHU). More than £41,000 has been disbursed from the Human Rights Project Fund this financial year to promote rights awareness in Ecuador. This includes funding for a project being administered by APDH to encourage young people to learn about their human, social, economic and cultural rights and how to promote them. In addition, the British Embassy in Quito are supporting a number of other projects aimed at helping street children, indigenous groups and disadvantaged women.
(c) Bolivia: £42,500 has been provided this financial year from the Human Rights Project Fund to support the office of the Human Rights Ombudsman. The Ombudsman, Mrs. Ana Maria Romero, paid a successful Foreign and Commonwealth Office Sponsored Visit to the UK in November 1999. The main purpose of her visit was to see how the British Government promote human rights. Our Embassy in La Paz have close contacts with a number of human rights groups in Bolivia including Red Andina, CEDOIN, the Permanent Assembly for Human Rights and AMANACER, a charity which helps street children.
(d) Peru: We maintain close and regular contact with a number of NGOs and independent human rights groups in Peru including the National Co-ordinator for Human Rights, an umbrella organisation which represents more than 50 NGOs working in the human rights field. We also maintain close contact with both the Ombudsman and the Ad Hoc Commission of Human Rights. In November 1999, the Deputy Ombudsman of Peru, Dr. Gino Costa, paid a successful FCO Sponsored Visit to the UK. He attended a human rights seminar in the House
of Lords, and was keen to hear about HMG's policies on human rights, particularly in the context of Northern Ireland. We have provided £61,961 this financial year from the Human Rights Project Fund to assist the Ombudsman and Commission with its work and research. In November, the Department for International Development provided more than £20,000 for an electoral assistance project in Peru. More than £93,000 has been disbursed since April 1999 from HRPF to support projects administered by independent human rights groups.
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