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FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Nice Summit

Mr. Denzil Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his estimate is of the total cost to the EU budget of the Nice summit. [151898]

Mr. Vaz: The costs of holding European Councils are met by the host Government and the EU budget. I suggest that my right hon. Friend contact the Secretariat of the Council of the European Union for information on the costs of the Nice Council specifically.

Nice Treaty

Mr. Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will include the texts of the treaties proposed to be amended by the treaty of Nice as they would be if that treaty came into force in the Command Paper in which the treaty of Nice is published. [152041]

Mr. Vaz: The Command Paper will contain the treaty of Nice which amends the treaty on European Union, the treaties establishing the European Communities and certain related Acts.

The intergovernmental conference did not prepare a consolidated version, and therefore it will not be included in the Command Paper. But we expect the Office for Official Publications of the European Union to publish a version in due course. We will place this in the Libraries of both Houses as soon as it becomes available.

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Bonded Labourers (Indian Sub-continent)

Mr. Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what report he has received from the Indian organisation, Volunteers for Social Justice, regarding bonded labourers in Punjab State who have registered their cases in 1999 or before, but have not been released. [153121]

Mr. Wilson: We understand that, as of 19 August 2000, 698 bonded labourers had registered cases at the Punjab Human Rights Commission or the Punjab and Haryana Court. Of these cases almost all had been filed in 1999 or before. We share the concern of Volunteers for Social Justice over the situation of bonded labourers in India. We continue to monitor the issue closely.

Mr. Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received regarding threats and attacks against human rights activists working to protect and release bonded labourers in India and Pakistan. [153120]

Mr. Wilson: We are aware of reports of harassment of the bonded labour activist and General Secretary of Volunteers for Social Justice, Jai Singh, in Punjab, India. Officials in our High Commission in New Delhi are looking into this incident. We are not aware of similar incidents in Pakistan. The Indian authorities are well aware of our commitment to human rights and the importance of investigating abuses. We will continue to monitor the situation closely.

Mr. Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many people have been charged and prosecuted, and what sentences have been given, in India and Pakistan under their Bonded Labour Scheme (Abolition) Acts. [153119]

Mr. Wilson: It will take some time to collate the information requested by my hon. Friend I will write to him once it is available and place a copy of my letter in the Libraries of the House.

Gibraltar

Mr. Gill: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when voters resident in Gibraltar will be eligible to vote in European Parliament elections. [152836]

Mr. Vaz: The UK unequivocally accepts its obligation to give effect to the Matthews judgment. We are fully committed to seeking enfranchisement for Gibraltar before the 2004 European Parliamentary elections.

Zimbabwe

Mr. Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussion he has had with (a) President Chirac and (b) the European Development Commissioner regarding the situation in Zimbabwe. [152890]

Mr. Wilson: The Government's deep concern at recent events in Zimbabwe was conveyed to Commissioner Neilson and President Chirac before their meetings with President Mugabe.

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Mr. Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on recent developments regarding the Chief Justice of the Zimbabwe High Court; and what plans he has to seek representations from other Commonwealth member states on the rule of law in Zimbabwe. [152893]

Mr. Wilson: The Foreign Secretary issued a statement on 21 February expressing his concern at the pressure being applied to the judiciary by the Government of Zimbabwe. The Foreign Secretary has spoken to the Commonwealth Secretary-General to reiterate his concern, and will discuss Zimbabwe with colleagues at the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group on 19-20 March.

Mr. Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the specific objectives are of the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group meeting schedule for 19 March to discuss Zimbabwe. [152891]

Mr. Wilson: The Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group meeting on 19-20 March will consider a full agenda of Commonwealth business. Zimbabwe will be discussed after Any Other Business.

Mr. Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last met representatives from the Movement for Democratic change in Zimbabwe; and when he next plans to do so. [152894]

Mr. Wilson: The Foreign Secretary last met Morgan Tsvangirai on 6 November 2000. FCO Ministers and officials have regular meetings with representatives of the MDC, most recently being on 5 March.

Mr. Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs with which Commonwealth member states he has discussed the expulsion of Zimbabwe from the Commonwealth; and what was the conclusion of these discussions. [152887]

Mr. Wilson: FCO Ministers regularly raise Zimbabwe with their Commonwealth counterparts. Zimbabwe will be discussed at the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group meeting on 19-20 March.

Kosovo-Macedonia Border

Mr. Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia's call for the creation of a buffer zone on its border with Kosovo; and if he will make a statement. [153112]

Mr. Vaz: We and our Allies and partners have been in close contact with the Government of Macedonia about the recent violent acts by ethnic Albanian extremists which led to the deaths of three Macedonian soldiers last weekend. Following discussions, KFOR has intensified its efforts to control the border between Kosovo and Macedonia with some success. KFOR continues to monitor the situation very closely. There are reports that the extremists may be withdrawing.

Mr. Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to his Macedonian counterpart regarding the situation relating to the border between Kosovo and The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. [153111]

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Mr. Vaz: On 2 March, I telephoned the Macedonian Foreign Minister, Mr. Srgjan Kerim. I reassured Mr. Kerim that we share Macedonian concerns about the situation in the border area and that NATO and KFOR were doing everything within their power to control the border with Kosovo. I also welcomed the continuing restraint shown by the Macedonian Government.

Dayton Peace Accords

Mr. Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to his (a) EU counterparts and (b) Yugoslav counterpart regarding the implementation of the Dayton Peace accords. [153102]

Mr. Vaz: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has made no recent representations to either his EU counterparts or his Yugoslav counterpart specifically on the implementation of the Dayton Peace Agreement--but Her Majesty's Government are fully engaged with EU partners in supporting the High Representative in his efforts to achieve the full implementation of the agreement. The FRY authorities have made clear their support for the Dayton Agreement.

Mr. Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with his US counterpart regarding progress made in implementation of the Dayton Peace accords; and if he will make a statement. [153106]

Mr. Vaz: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary discussed Balkan issues with his US counterpart in Washington on 6 February.

Mr. Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the progress achieved in implementing the Dayton peace accords. [153100]

Mr. Vaz: The Peace Implementation Council ministerial meeting in Brussels in May last year concluded that much has been accomplished since the Dayton/Paris accords, that the security situation had stabilised, major reconstruction achieved, and the building of the State of Bosnia and Herzegovina has begun.

However, much remains to be done to consolidate and build on this progress. The actions outlined at the Peace Implementation Council, as well as the EU's road map leading to the negotiation of a Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA), give a framework for reform. We are continuing our active support for the new moderate Governments at state and entity levels in their reform efforts.

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