---

Burma

Mr. Luke: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assistance has been offered to British companies who retain an economic presence in Burma in the last 12 months. [58025]

Mr. Bradshaw: HMG does not encourage trade, investment or tourism with Burma. Companies asking for advice are informed about the political and human rights situation in Burma and told we will not provide any assistance.

Mr. Luke: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions his Department has had with the military Government of Burma. [58026]

Mr. Bradshaw: The UK maintains formal diplomatic links with Burma. Contact with the military regime in Burma is limited by the EU Common Position which contains a visa ban on senior members of the regime visiting the EU and a ban on High Level visitors from the

24 May 2002 : Column 604W

EU travelling to Burma. There has however been contact at official level, most recently in late February/early March.

An EU Troika mission also visited Burma in March 2002 for discussions with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, representatives of the ethnic minority groups and also members of the regime.

Mr. Luke: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent meetings his Department has had with (a) the NLD and (b) Aung San Sun Kyi as to how the British Government may aid them in bringing about democratic Government, equality before the law and enhanced human rights in Burma. [58023]

Mr. Bradshaw: Our Embassy staff in Burma and visiting FCO officials meet regularly with representatives of the National League for Democracy. Our Ambassador has also met Aung San Suu Kyi since her release from house arrest.

The EU Common Position on Burma includes an arms embargo, a ban on non-humanitarian aid, a ban on items that may be used for torture, a ban on high level visits and a visa ban and asset freeze on senior members of the regime. In addition the European Community suspended Burma's trading privileges in 1997 in response to concerns over the use of forced labour and the Government does not encourage trade, investment or tourism with Burma.

Together with other EU partners, the Government takes every opportunity to encourage the military government, the democratic opposition and the ethnic minorities to press ahead with national reconciliation, with the aim of re-establishing democracy and the rule of law.

Chinese Christians

Mr. Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made about the case of the imprisonment of Chinese Christians who were imprisoned for bible transportation. [58157]

Mr. Macshane: We have been following closely the cases of three Chinese Christians imprisoned for bible transportation earlier this year. We welcome the fact that two of them have been released on health grounds. At the latest round of the UK-China Human Rights Dialogue in Beijing on 15 May we raised our concerns about the protection of religious freedom in China.

Mr. Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the level of persecution of Christians in China and if he will make representations to the Chinese authorities about the persecution of Christians in China. [58156]

Mr. Macshane: We are deeply concerned about the treatment of Christians in China and raise religious freedom regularly with the Chinese. We raised the treatment of Christians most recently at the UK-China Human Rights Dialogue in Beijing on 15 May.

Counter-Terrorism

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made

24 May 2002 : Column 605W

of the member state submissions on their national counter-terrorism programmes made to the United Nations Security Council, pursuant to SC resolution 1373 (2001). [57990]

Mr. Macshane: Most of the UN's member states have submitted reports on their compliance with UNSCR 1373 (2001) to the UN Security Council's Counter Terrorism Committee (CTC), which is chaired by the UK's permanent representative to the United Nations in New York. The CTC is analysing these reports collectively, with the help of independent expert advisers. At this stage, the CTC is seeking further information from all states that have submitted such reports.

EU Applicant Countries

Mr. Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list EU funds available for information campaigns in applicant countries; what the United Kingdom's share is; what measures exist to ensure impartiality; if he will list organisations which are recipients; and if he will make a statement. [58772]

Peter Hain: In the Candidate Countries for accession to the European Union, information activities are carried out by the European Commission's Delegations.

The following table shows the EC funding in euros for each delegation in 2001.

Country	Budget 2001— C=
Bratislava	650,000
Bucharest	850,000
Budapest	1,000,000
Ljublijana	720,000
Prague	900,000
Riga	670,000
Sofia	550,000
Tallinn	611,375
Vilnius	680,000
Warsaw	1,559,000
Turkey	600,000
Cyprus	200,000
Malta	200,000

In accordance with normal budgetary principles, the own resources contributions of the Member States are not allocated to specific expenditure lines.

The overall strategy for the information initiatives has been endorsed by the Council and implementation on the ground takes place in full consultation with the national Government concerned as well as with the embassies of the Member States in the relevant capital.

Vancouver Summit

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs who will make up the delegation representing the United Kingdom Government at the G8 Heads of State meeting in Vancouver, Canada. [56670]

Peter Hain: The G8 Summit of Heads of Government will be held on 26–27 June in Kananaskis, Alberta, Canada. The UK delegation will be led by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister and include Baroness Amos,

24 May 2002 : Column 606W

his Personal Representative on Africa. Around 25 officials from No. 10, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and HM Treasury will join them as necessary.

Afghanistan

Ann Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if Afghan prisoners in Shebarghan prison are being held under the Geneva Convention. [59408]

Mr. Bradshaw: It has not yet been possible to verify whether or not the prisoners in Shebarghan prison are being held in accordance with the Geneva Convention. However, we remain concerned about the reported conditions in which prisoners are being held in certain parts of Afghanistan.

Security considerations have so far prevented our Embassy staff in Kabul from visiting these prisons. But they are in frequent contact with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), which closely monitors the situation and welfare of all prisoners in Afghanistan.

We have made clear to the Afghan Interim Administration that we expect them to respect their international obligations, including treating their prisoners in accordance with the Geneva Conventions.

Ann Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received on Afghan prisoners held at Shebarghan being sold back to their families. [59407]

Mr. Bradshaw: We are concerned about reports that some prisoners previously held in Sheberghan have been ransomed.

Security considerations have so far prevented our Embassy staff in Kabul from visiting these prisons. But they are in frequent contact with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), which closely monitors the situation and welfare of all prisoners in Afghanistan.

Throughout the conflict last autumn, we urged the Northern Alliance to respect the tenets of the Geneva Conventions and to treat humanely all those who surrendered and were taken prisoner. Since then, we have made clear to the Afghan Interim Administration that we expect them to respect their international obligations, including to treat their prisoners humanely.

Military Exports

Mr. Cran: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when a substantive reply will be given to Eric and Kathleen Rodham's letter of 5 February, concerning an embargo on military exports to India, Pakistan and Israel, acknowledged on 11 February. [59227]

Mr. Bradshaw: I sent a response on 9 May. I apologise for the delay in responding.

Indonesia

Mr. Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he and his

24 May 2002 : Column 607W

Department have had with the Indonesian Government on the enforcement of the Malino II agreement in the Moluccas Islands. [59235]

Mr. Bradshaw: We welcome the agreement brokered by the Indonesian Government between the warring factions in Maluku to end the fighting. However, this is only the first small step to reconcile the warring communities and start the process of reconstruction and repatriation.

The UK's message to the Indonesian government is clear and consistent: a long-term solution to regional conflicts can be achieved only through political negotiation and consultation with the people. Together with our European partners we are in regular, top-level dialogue with the Indonesian government, and urge them to maintain law and order and promote reconciliation in areas of conflict. The UK together with the EU issued a declaration welcoming the Malino peace agreement on 11 March. The declaration called on the Indonesian Government to take the necessary measures to enforce the Malino agreement.

---