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Kyoto Protocol

22. Linda Gilroy: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy to press for international implementation of the Kyoto protocols. [1522]

Peter Hain: Climate change is one of the most important global issues we face. It is the firm policy of this Government to press for a successful outcome to the Sixth Conference of the Parties (COP6) in Bonn and to work towards ratification and entry into force of the Kyoto Treaty in 2002.

Gibraltar

23. Mr. Trend: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on Her Majesty's Government's policy on Gibraltar. [1523]

Peter Hain: The Government will continue to stand by their commitments to the people of Gibraltar as set out in the Preamble to the Gibraltar Constitution. We have agreed with Spain to resume ministerial level talks on Gibraltar under the Brussels Process, and aim to use these talks to re-establish a framework for dialogue with Spain on a number of issues concerning Gibraltar. The Government intend that the Government of Gibraltar should be fully engaged in this process.

Nepal

24. Mr. Bill O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the Nepalese Government. [1524]

Mr. Bradshaw: Our Ambassador in Kathmandu has had substantive discussions with the Nepalese Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, Foreign Minister and Finance Minister since the beginning of June.

Peru

25. Mr. Tom Clarke: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on Her Majesty's Government's relations with Peru. [1525]

Mr. MacShane: We congratulate the Peruvian Government on the successful conclusion of their elections and look forward to working closely with the new President, Alejandro Toledo. I shall be representing my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister at the

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inauguration ceremony in Lima on 28 July. We express again our sorrow at the recent earthquake in Peru to which we pledged £250,000 of emergency relief.

World Service

27. Valerie Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment his Department has made of the impact of the work of the BBC World Service. [1527]

Mr. MacShane: The BBC World Service is the best known and most respected voice in international broadcasting, increasing respect for, and good will towards, Britain around the world. The Government aim to ensure that the World Service retains its pre-eminent position. That is why we are providing an extra £64 million for it in 2001–04.

Kashmir

28. Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the prospects of self-determination for the people of Kashmir. [1528]

Mr. Bradshaw: It is clear that any solution in Kashmir must involve, and reflect the views of, the people of Kashmir. We have therefore welcomed the Indian Government's decision to engage in dialogue with Kashmiris. We hope that all parties directly involved will find a just and lasting settlement soon.

Mrs. Fitzsimons: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress has been made in allowing human rights monitors to enter Indian-occupied Kashmir. [1517]

Mr. Bradshaw: We have consistently urged the Indian authorities to allow access to Kashmir for international human rights bodies, including the UN Rapporteurs on Torture and on Extra-judicial Executions and the Working Group on Disappearances, and organisations such as Amnesty International. We are disappointed that, after repeated requests from the organisations concerned, such visits have not yet been authorised.

Macedonia

31. Mr. Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to meet with President Boris Trajkovski to discuss the situation in Macedonia. [1531]

Mr. MacShane: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary plans to visit Macedonia soon. He spoke to President Trajkovski on 3 July and repeated our full support for the President's efforts to bring about a political settlement through dialogue. The situation in Macedonia remains grave but is not beyond repair. Early signs of progress are now beginning to emerge with a ceasefire agreement and positive movement on a political settlement.

European Council

32. Mr. Win Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on his priorities for the European Council meetings in the coming year. [1532]

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Peter Hain: We want the European Council in its meetings in the next 12 months to help maintain the momentum in the enlargement negotiations, so that these can be completed by the end of 2002 with those candidate countries which are ready; and, at the same time, to do whatever is necessary to assist the process of ratifying the Nice treaty. The European Council should promote the open debate on the future development of the EU as part of the preparation for the 2004 Intergovernmental Conference. It should continue its work in promoting a liberal global trading system, and in modernising Europe's economy to create more and better jobs, as agreed at Lisbon in 2000. It should review progress in implementing the sustainable development strategy agreed at Gothenburg last month. It should continue to create an area of freedom, security and justice, as agreed at Tampere in 1999; and in developing the common Foreign and Security Policy and the European Security and Defence Policy, and the Union's external relations more generally, to ensure that Europe's interests and objectives are properly projected on the world stage.

Kenya

34. Mr. Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on bilateral relations with Kenya. [1535]

Mr. Bradshaw: The UK enjoys strong bilateral ties with Kenya. The UK is Kenya's second largest export market and Kenya's largest source of imports.

We strongly support Kenya's economic reform process. This should bring sustained economic growth, greater accountability and efficiency in the public sector, and improved services to the poor.

European Parliaments

35. Rosemary McKenna: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proposals he has to strengthen relations between Parliaments in Europe. [1536]

Peter Hain: My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has proposed that representatives of national parliaments be more involved in European matters through a Second Chamber of the European Parliament which could review the EU's work and provide democratic oversight at a European level of the Common Foreign and Security Policy.

The role of national parliament in the European architecture is one of the agenda items for the next Intergovernmental Conference in 2004. We welcome all contributions to the debate on this issue.

Western Sahara

36. Mr. Clapham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the Western Sahara. [1537]

Mr. Bradshaw: We fully support the efforts of the UN Secretary General, his Personal Envoy, James Baker, and the UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) to find a just and lasting solution to the situation in Western Sahara.

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UN Commission on Human Rights

(Voting Records)

Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the recorded outcome of the vote was, how his vote was cast, and which other states voted with him at the UN Commission on Human Rights in March and April on (a) statement 2001/3 submitted by Cuba on mercenaries, (b) statement 2001/16 submitted by the Czech Republic on Cuba, (c) statement 2001/26 submitted by South Africa on human rights unilateral coercive measures and (d) statement 2001/36 submitted by Cuba on popular participation and democracy. [2315]

Peter Hain: The Commission on Human Rights is one of the main forums in which international human rights standards are drawn up and monitored. We are committed to playing a major role at CHR, and ensuring that human rights violations, wherever they take place, are brought to the attention of the international community.

The UK voted against the Cuban resolution on the use of mercenaries as a means of violating human rights and impeding the exercise of the right of peoples to self-determination (2001/3). It was adopted by 35 votes to 11 with six abstentions. Japan, the Czech Republic, Latvia, Poland, Romania, Belgium, Canada, Germany, Norway and the US also voted against.

The UK voted for the Czech resolution on the Situation of Human Rights in Cuba (2001/16). It was adopted by 22 votes to 20 with 10 abstentions. Cameroon, Madagascar, Japan, the Republic of Korea, the Czech Republic, Latvia, Poland, Romania, Argentina, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Uruguay, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Portugal, Spain and the US voted with the UK.

The UK voted against the South African resolution on Human Rights and Unilateral Coercive Measures (2001/26). The resolution was adopted by 37 votes to seven with eight abstentions. (Japan, Latvia, Poland, Germany, Norway and the US also voted against).

The UK voted against the Cuban resolution on Strengthening of Popular Participation, Equity, Social Justice and Non-discrimination as Essential Foundations of Democracy (2001/36). The resolution was adopted by 28 votes to four with 21 abstentions. (Germany, Japan, and the USA also voted against).

I will send my hon. Friend a full voting record, which shows how each CHR member voted on each resolution. A copy will also be placed in the House of Commons Library.

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