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FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Sudan

Dr. Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has made to (a) the Government of Sudan and (b) the United Nations regarding plans to legalise female genital mutilation. [64600]

Mr. MacShane: Our embassy in Khartoum has made representations at ministerial level in Khartoum, both bilaterally and in co-ordination with EU partners, on the Sudanese Government's reported plans to legalise female genital mutilation (FGM). The Government of Sudan reassured us that there were no plans to legalise the practice. The embassy also works closely with Sudanese civil society groups in advocating the eradication of FGM. It forms part of the campaign for ratification of the UN Convention on the Eradication of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) in which we have actively supported the growing women's rights movement and UN attempts to address these issues. In particular, our embassy has on-going discussion with UNICEF. We have also funded various project aimed at eradication of FGM, including the national advocacy campaign for 2002–03.

Arms Sales

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the

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licence applications his Department has examined for arms exports to (a) India and (b) Pakistan since January 2000; and how many of his Department (i) supported and (ii) opposed. [65413]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: For a list of application approved by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department of Trade and Industry to the right hon. and learned Member for North-East Fife (Mr. Campbell) on 13 June 2002, Official Report, column 1377W.

However, views expressed by any individual Department involved in the licensing process fall under the description of "internal discussion and advice", the disclosure of which would harm the frankness and candour of internal discussion. Such information is exempt from disclosure under Exemption 2 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government information.

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has held with the (a) Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, (b) Secretary of State for Defence and (c) Secretary of State for International Development regarding arms export licences to (i) Pakistan and (ii) India. [65414]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary is in regular contact with his counterparts in the Department of Trade and Industry, the Ministry of Defence and the Department for International Development on export licensing issues but details of specific discussions fall under the descriptor of "internal discussions and advice" and are exempt from disclosure under Exemption 2 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

Zimbabwe

Mr. Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the European Union travel ban on President Mugabe. [65245]

Mr. MacShane: On 18 February, EU Ministers imposed a travel ban on 20 named members of the Zimbabwe regime (common position 2002/145/CFSP). Under Article 15 of the Treaty on European Union, all member states are obliged to implement common positions.

Mugabe was recently refused entry to France. Where international commitments to the UN and Interpol have obliged member states to let Mugabe and others into the EU, the terms of their entry have been as restrictive as possible.

Mr. Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what (a) Commonwealth, (b) European Union and (c) other countries have sanctions against Zimbabwe; and what form they take. [67127]

Mr. MacShane: On 19 March, Zimbabwe was suspended from the Councils of the Commonwealth.

On 18 February, the EU imposed a travel ban and asset freeze on 20 senior members of the Zimbabwe Government. It also imposed an arms embargo.

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A travel ban has been imposed by the United States, Norway, Switzerland and New Zealand.

Mr. Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when and where the ZANU- PF members who are under travel sanctions have travelled since the inception of the travel sanctions. [67416]

Mr. MacShane: On 18 February, EU Ministers adopted a common position (2002/145/CFSP) which imposed a travel ban within the EU on Mugabe and 19 other named members of the Zimbabwe regime.

The EU common position allows member states to grant exemptions to the travel ban 'on the grounds of humanitarian need, including religious obligation, or on grounds of attending meetings of international bodies or conducting political dialogue that promote democracy, human rights and the rule of law in Zimbabwe'.

Under the terms of the EU travel ban, France was obliged to permit Police Commissioner Chihuri to attend an Interpol meeting in Lyon on 14–16 May, and Italy was obliged to permit Mugabe to attend a UN conference in Rome on 10–13 June.

Mr. Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with (a) Government colleagues and (b) other Governments about potential measures the international coalition could take regarding the actions of the Mugabe regime. [67125]

Mr. MacShane: My right hon. Friend, the Foreign Secretary, has discussed Zimbabwe with Government colleagues. He remains in regular touch with EU, US and Commonwealth colleagues on further international responses to the situation in Zimbabwe.

Mr. Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was discussed at his meeting with the Southern African Development Community concerning Zimbabwe; and what the outcome of this meeting was. [67132]

Mr. MacShane: My right hon. Friend, the Foreign Secretary, has not attended a meeting with the Southern African Development Community.

Mr. Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last met a member of ZANU-PF; and what was discussed. [67129]

Mr. MacShane: My right hon. Friend, the Foreign Secretary, raised the situation in Zimbabwe with Foreign Minister Mudenge, in New York on 10 November 2001.

Mr. Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what meetings with non-EU countries he has scheduled in the next six months on the topic of Zimbabwe. [67121]

Mr. MacShane: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary, will discuss Zimbabwe, at every appropriate opportunity, with concerned members of the international community.

Mr. Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with Nelson Mandela on his potential inclusion in seeking a solution to Zimbabwe's problems; and what his response has been. [67123]

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Mr. MacShane: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary, has not held discussions with Nelson Mandela on seeking a solution to Zimbabwe's problems. The Foreign Secretary discussed Zimbabwe with South African Foreign Minister, Zuma, on 20 June.

Mr. Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the effect of the international community's freezing of ZANU-PF's assets. [67131]

Mr. MacShane: The UK has frozen £76,000 in assets belonging to the members of ZANU-PF who are covered by the EU common position (2002/145/CFSP on 18 February). The freezing of ZANU-PF assets has put the financial markets of the EU and Switzerland off limits to those on the banned list. It has also helped signal the increasing isolation of the ZANU-PF elite.

Nepal

Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what level of military assistance is to be offered to the Government of Nepal; and if he will make a statement. [67426]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: We are very concerned about the situation in Nepal. The brutal Maoist insurgency is undermining Nepal's young democracy and fragile economy, and adding to the regional instability. The Nepalese Government will continue to have our full support in dealing with the political, military and developmental aspects of the crisis. We are working with our international partners to develop an integrated approach to security, reform and development. We believe military assistance should be considered as part of a comprehensive approach to a resolution of the conflict.

We have provided considerable assistance to the Nepalese Government in the form of training and logistical support for the RNA. This includes training for the Royal Nepalese Army in media operations training, civil affairs training and human rights awareness training. We have also provided low level assistance in the form of various items of logistical equipment. This includes communications equipment and a number of used vehicles.

We plan to give further assistance in the areas of intelligence, military training and equipment in the future.

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