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Convention on the Future of Europe

Mr. Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the mandate of the Convention on the Future of Europe Working Group on Defence is; and if he will make a statement. [77818]

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Mr. MacShane: The Government welcome the European Convention's decision to set up a Working Group on Defence. The Working Group's mandate is set out in Convention document CONV 206/02 of 19 July 2002 and reads as follows:

Apart from the Petersberg tasks, what defence remit could be envisaged for the Union?

Since the Union has decided that it must have a genuine operational capability, including a military capability, what can be done to ensure that the Member States have the military capabilities needed to guarantee the credibility of the Union's defence policy? Should we seek inspiration from monetary union, and establish admission criteria and a pact to be complied with thereafter?

Should provision be made for extending enhanced cooperation to defence matters?

What can be done to ensure that decisions can be taken quickly during a crisis management operation?

What can be done to ensure coherent planning of the Union's crisis management operations?

What methods should be used to ensure greater efficiency and economies of scale in arms procurement, research and development? Should the creation of a European Arms Agency be envisaged?

Correspondence

Mr. Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when UK Visas will reply to the letter of 27 June from the hon. Member for Manchester, Central, regarding Mr. AM reference NBI/1003564/7/8. [77533]

Mr. Rammell [holding answer 30 October 2002]: I am sorry for the delay in replying to my hon. Friend's letter of 27 June. A reply was sent to him on 30 October.

Cyprus

Mr. Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the status of Cyprus' application to join the EU [77926]

Mr. MacShane : Cyprus has made very good progress in negotiations, having provisionally closed 28 of the 31 negotiating chapters. At Brussels the European Council confirmed its determination to conclude negotiations with Cyprus, along with nine other countries, at its meeting in Copenhagen on 12/13 December. It also reiterated its preference for a reunited Cyprus to join the EU. If there is no settlement, it said, Xthe decisions to be taken in December by the Copenhagen European Council will be based on the conclusions set out by [..] Helsinki" i.e. that the Council's decision will be taken without a settlement being a precondition and that all relevant factors would be taken into account.

Mr. Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress is being made towards establishing discussions between the communities in Cyprus on property rights as part of a settlement; and if he will make a statement. [77911]

Mr. MacShane: Property is one of the core issues, identified by the UN Secretary-General, being discussed by the two leaders in Cyprus as part of efforts to find a comprehensive, just and lasting settlement to the Cyprus problem. The UN Secretary-General has asked that the content of discussions during the settlement talks

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remain private. I urge the two leaders to do all they can to narrow their differences on property and on the other core issues.

Mr. Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with (a) Turkey and (b) Greece, concerning the prospects of a settlement in Cyprus; and if he will make a statement [77912]

Mr. MacShane: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary met Sukru Sina Gurel, Turkish Foreign Minister, on 24 September and George Papandreou, Greek Foreign Minister on 24 October 2002. He discussed settlement negotiations in Cyprus with both, made clear that our aim is for a reunited island to be invited at the Copenhagen European Council to accede to the European Union and urged both to take an active role in supporting the UN on Cyprus.

Mr. Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what bicommunal events and activities his Department and the British Council have supported in Cyprus in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement.[R] [77913]

Mr. MacShane: The Government are committed to developing practical co-operation between the two communities on and off the island. The then Minister for Europe my hon. Friend the Member for Neath (Peter Hain) hosted a reception and gave a speech to an intercommunal gathering on 10 April which was attended by senior politicians from both communities. The British high commission has made a significant contribution to intercommunal dialogue, bringing Turkish and Greek Cypriots together at a wide range of events.

Mr Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress is being made by the technical committees established under UN auspices to look at aspects of the Cyprus problem relating to constitutional and treaty matters; and if he will make a statement [77915]

Mr. MacShane: I welcome the establishment of the technical committees to support the settlement talks on Cyprus, announced by the Secretary-General on 4 October. We hope the committees will start their work as soon as possible. The UN Secretary-General has asked that the content of discussions during the settlement talks remains private to the parties.

Mr. Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when Lord Hannay has visited (a) Cyprus, (b) Greece, (c) Turkey and (d) the United Nations in the last 12 months for discussions on the Cyprus problem; and who he met on each occasion. [77916]

Mr. MacShane: Lord Hannay visited Cyprus on:

17 to 18 December 2001 and met Glafcos Clerides (Greek Cypriot leader), Rauf Denktash (Turkish Cypriot leader) and key players from both sides of the island;

12 to 13 February 2002 and met Mr Clerides, Mr Denktash, and key players from both sides of the island;

10 to 11 April 2002 and met Mr Clerides, Mr Denktash, and key players from both sides of the island;

10 to 11 June 2002 and met Mr Clerides, Mr Denktash, and key players from both sides of the island;

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30 August to 2 September 2002 and met Mr Clerides, Mr Denktash, and key players from both sides of the island; and,

24 to 27 October 2002 and met Mr Derides, Hakki Muftezade (senior adviser to Mr Denktash) and key players from both sides of the island.

Lord Hannay visited Greece on:

26 November 2001 and met Tassos Yiannitsis (Alternate Foreign Minister), Dora Bakoyanni (New Democracy), other key players and also gave a background briefing to Greek journalists;

11 to 12 April 2002 and met George Papandreou (Foreign Minister), Mr Yiannitsis and other key players; and,

16 to 18 May 2002 and met Mr Papandreou and close advisers.

Lord Hannay visited Turkey on:

27 November 2001 and met Ugar Ziyal, Baki Ilkin, Ertugrul Apakan (Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs), Tachan IIdem (President Sezer!s foreign policy adviser), Volkan Vural (Secretary-General for EU Affairs) and other key players; -

21 to 22 March 2002 and met Mr Ziyal, Mr Ilkin, Mr Apakan, Mr IIdem, Volkan Bozkir (Deputy Secretary-General for EU Affairs) and other key players;

5 to 6 June 2002 and met Ismail Cem (Turkish Foreign Minister), Mr Ziyal, Mr Ilkin, MrApakan, Mehmet Nuri Yilmaz (Deputy Prime Minister), Mr Vural and had dinner with a cross-section of MPs and media commentators; and,

24 to 25 July and met Mr. Ziyal, Mr. Vural, Mr. Ilkin, Mr. Apakan, Ms Tayyibe Guledkl

Lord Hannay visited the UN in New York on:

12 to 15 November 2001 and met Alvaro de Soto (UN Special Representative for Cyprus), Tom Weston (US Special Representative for Cyprus), Mr Wittig (German Special Representative for Cyprus), Mr derides, loannis Kasoulides (Foreign Minister of Cyprus), Mr Zackheos (Cyprus Permanent epresentative to the UN), Yigit Alpogan (Turkish Deputy Under-Secretary), Mr Papandreou and other key players;

25 February 2002 and met Mr de Soto, Mr Weston and other key players; -

3 April 2002 and met Kofi Annan (UN Secretary-General), Mr de Soto, Mr Weston, Kieran Prendergast (UN) and other key players;

11 to 16 September 2002 and met Mr Kasoulides, Mr Papandreou, Marc Grossman (State Department), Fris Arne Petersen (Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs), Mr

Prendergast and other key players; and,

30 September to 5 October 2002 and met Mr Annan, Mr Weston, Mr de Soto, Mr Clerides, Mr Denktash and other key players.

Lord Hannay also had meetings with Mr de Soto in;

Cyprus on 12 to 13 February;

Cyprus on 10 to 11 April;

Rome on 8 and 9 June;

Cyprus on 10 to 11 June;

Paris on 5 July;

Vienna on 27 July;

Paris on 7 September;

Cyprus on 30 August to 2 September;

Vevey on 8 October; and,

Cyprus on 24 to 27 October 2002.

Mr. Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps are being taken to extend the benefits of EU membership to Cypriot inhabitants of the SBAs, Cyprus; and if he will make a statement [77924]

Mr. MacShane: As the Commission noted in its report on Cyprus of 9 October, as part of the preparation for Cyprus1 future EU membership, the British government has over the past year held meetings with Cyprus and the European Commission to discuss the arrangements that will come into force in the SBAs

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when Cyprus joins the EU. Our objective has been, as described in the written answer by my noble Friend Baroness Symons of 5 December 2001 (Official Report, column WA 140), to continue with the policy of the SBAs remaining outside the EU, except where necessary to ensure that Cypriots who live and work in the SBAs do not benefit less from Cyprus's membership of the European Union than their compatriots in the Republic of Cyprus. The outcome of these discussions will be considered by the European institutions, including the Council of Ministers.

Mr. Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on efforts to find a solution to the Cyprus problem [77927]

Mr. MacShane: I am pleased that talks are continuing between the two sides in Cyprus to reach a comprehensive, just and lasting settlement. Our aim, and that of our EU partners and the US, is that such a settlement should be reached as soon as possible, so that a reunited island can be invited, at the Copenhagen European Council, to accede to the EU. I fully support the UN in its efforts to bridge the gaps between the two sides and urge the two leaders to do all they can to narrow their differences on the core issues.

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