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China

36. Mr. Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of China's commitment to the global campaign against terrorism. [15460]

Mr. Bradshaw: We welcome China's support for the international fight against terrorism. China is an important partner in this. My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister discussed this with Vice President Hu Jintao on 29 October during his visit to the UK.

Balkans

37. Mr. Barron: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the Government's recent actions in the regeneration of the Balkans. [15462]

Mr. MacShane: The United Kingdom has played a leading role in promoting political stability in the Balkans, which is key to regeneration. In support of this, we have made major military and civilian commitments to Macedonia, Kosovo and Bosnia, and have provided significant development assistance to these and other Balkan countries.

Israeli Exports

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has been made of Israel's responses to post-verification requests by the EU in respect of imports suspected to originate outside the internationally recognized borders of Israel. [15892]

Peter Hain [holding answer 19 November 2001]: The EU has concluded, from the responses to member state's post-verification requests and from continuing discussions with Israel, that there remains a requirement to address the issues underlying the rules of origin dispute. The EU returned to this issues at the 20 November association council, noting that it wanted to continue efforts to resolve the question with Israel.

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the Israeli authorities have responded fully to EU post-verification requests for certificates of origins for goods alleged to be from illegal settlements; and if he will detail those responses. [15891]

Peter Hain [holding answer 19 November 2001]: Such requests are made by members states' Customs authorities in respect of individual cases of imports from a third country. Since April 2001 the UK has received 13 responses from Israel to requests for verification that the goods in question qualified for preferential treatment under the terms of the EU-Israel Association Agreement. In all but one of the cases Israel responded that the goods were originating products under the terms of the Agreement and thus qualified in Israel's view for preferential treatment. In the other case, the Israeli authorities were unable to validate the exporter's claim that the goods in question qualified for preferential treatment. The EU has made it clear, most recently at the 20 November association council, that it wants to pursue discussions with Israel to resolve this issue.

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Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what mechanisms are available to the EU to review the operation of the EU-Israel Association Agreement. [15889]

Peter Hain [holding answer 19 November 2001]: The EU-Israel Association Agreement provides for regular review by the Ministerial-level Association Council, to which either party may refer disputes over its application or interpretation. Below the level of the Council the Association Committee operates at official level and has power, under the terms of the Agreement, to take decisions relating to its management.

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what deadlines the EU has placed for full responses by the Israeli authorities to EU post-verification requests for certificates of origin for goods alleged to be from illegal settlements; what the deadlines are; and what actions are available to the EU in the event of full responses not being received. [18655]

Peter Hain: Requests for verification of goods are made by member states' Customs authorities in respect of individual cases of imports from a third country. According to the terms of the EU-Israel Association Agreement, the country requesting the verification should be informed of the results within a maximum period of 10 months. In the event of full responses not being received, further information may be requested, and if this does not satisfactorily resolve the issues, it may be referred to the Association Council under the terms of the Agreement.

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps were considered by EU foreign Ministers at the 19 November General Affairs Council to stop the import into the EU under preference of goods labelled as made in Israel but which originate in Israeli settlements in the occupied territories; what decisions were taken; and what the reasons for these decisions were. [18654]

Peter Hain: The 19 November General Affairs Council agreed that the EU should make it clear to Israel at the 20 November EU-Israel Association Council that it attached great importance to correct application of the Association Agreement and that it would do its best to find a sustainable solution to the rules of origin issue. It noted that, if the Association Council process was not able to find a solution, the EU would have to review its position, in accordance with the provisions of the Agreement. The two sides have agreed to pursue discussions on this issue.

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the results of the EU-Israeli Association Council held on 20 November in respect of the implementation of the EU Association Agreement. [18523]

Peter Hain: The EU side noted that work in many areas of the Association Agreement is proceeding satisfactorily. It underlined its commitment to resolve the rules of origin issue, noting that efforts so far had not succeeded. The EU further noted that, if the Council was unable to find a solution, the EU would have to review its position, in accordance with the provisions of the Association Agreement. Discussions with Israel will continue on this issue.

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Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he had made an assessment by the time of the EU-Israel Association Council of 20 November of Israel's responses to post verification requests by the EU in respect of imports suspected to originate outside the internationally recognised borders of Israel; and if he will give details of that assessment. [18657]

Peter Hain: The UK concluded that there remains a requirement to address the issues underlying the rules of origin question. This took into account the responses to the post-verification requests and continuing EU expert-level discussions with Israel. The EU has agreed to continue efforts to resolve the issue, as discussed with Israel at the 20 November Association Council.

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the Israeli authorities responded fully to EU post-verification requests for certificates of origin for goods alleged to be from Israeli settlements by the time of the EU-Israel Association Council on 20 November; if he will give details of the responses received; and on what date they were received. [18656]

Peter Hain: Such requests are made by member states' Customs authorities in respect of individual cases of imports from a third country. Since April 2001 the UK has received thirteen responses from Israel to requests for verification that the goods in question qualified for preferential treatment under the terms of the EU-Israel Association Agreement. In all but one of the cases Israel provided a standard response that the goods were originating products under the terms of the Agreement and thus qualified in Israel's view for preferential treatment. In the other case the Israeli authorities were unable to validate the exporter's claim that the goods in question qualified for preferential treatment. Of the twelve responses which verified the origin of the goods, one was received on 4 April; three on 22 April; one on 24 April; three on 24 May; one on 5 June; one on 12 June; one on 15 August and one on 14 September. The other response was received on 5 June.

Chemical Weapons Convention

Ms Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to formulate a co-ordinated strategy to ensure compliance with the Chemical Weapons Convention; and if he will make a statement. [16689]

Mr. Bradshaw: The Chemical Weapons Convention contains comprehensive compliance measures. These include the requirement to declare activities with scheduled chemicals, and of past chemical weapons production facilities and stockpiles; consultations; routine inspections of industrial and military facilities; and challenge inspections for alleged breaches of the Convention. The UK supports the implementation of these measures in the Executive Council of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) and on a bilateral basis. The UK reviews declarations by other State Parties and, where appropriate, has bilateral consultations to clarify possible ambiguities and omissions with the country concerned in order to ensure full transparency. The UK also undertakes practice

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challenge inspections, and provides training and technical assistance to the OPCW. We continue to press for the universal adoption of the Convention.

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