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Death Penalty

Mr. Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list those organisations funded by committees' money campaigning to end the death penalty; if such organisations campaign in the United States; and what representations he has received from (a) the US Government (b) individual US states thereon. [78124]

Mr. Rammell: It is unclear to which committee the hon. Member is referring, but it is HMG policy to lobby for a world-wide abolition of the death penalty.

The UK took the lead during its EU presidency in formulating new EU guidelines on the death penalty. We have also established a Death Penalty Panel including expert academics and NGO representatives.

Currently, the FCO is funding the International Justice Project. It is a resource centre in the US that provides information to US defence lawyers tackling death penalty cases.

We shall continue to lobby States in the US until the death penalty is abolished.

Gibraltar

Mr. Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on negotiations with the Government of Spain over the future sovereignty of Gibraltar. [78443]

Mr. MacShane: I refer the hon. Member to the statement my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary made to the House on 12 July 2002, Official Report, columns 1165–67.

North Korea

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when Her Majesty's

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Government was informed by the United States Government of the latter's knowledge of the most recent status of North Korea's nuclear weapons programme; and what action has been taken by the United Kingdom as a result of this knowledge. [77221]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: Like the US, we have been concerned for some time at reports of clandestine North Korean nuclear activities. The North Koreans confirmed that they were pursuing an enrichment programme for nuclear weapons in a meeting with US Assistant Secretary Kelly on 4 October. We learned of that admission shortly afterwards.

My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary said on 17 October (full statement available on the FCO website www.fco.gov.uk) that North Korea's actions are a serious violation of its international obligations. We are assessing our policy towards North Korea in consultation with our friends and allies most directly concerned with security on the Korean Peninsula, and with our partners in the European Union.

Recruitment (Over-50s)

Mr. Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list those reports produced to date by the EU Institute for Security Studies, with security caveat grading. [78122]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: The publication record of the institute, and its official reports are available on its website (www.iss-eu.org). None of its reports has a security classification.

Resale Rights Directive

Mr. Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the legal basis of Directive 2001/84/EC on art resale rights; at what point right of veto was waived by Her Majesty's Government; and if he will make a statement. [78118]

Mr. MacShane: The legal basis of Directive 2001/84/EC on the resale right for the benefit of an author of an original work of art was Article 95 of the Treaty establishing the European Community. The directive was subject to qualified majority voting. During lengthy negotiations the Government were, however, able to secure significant improvements to the initial proposal put forward by the Commission.

Shener Levent

Mr. Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations have been made to the Turkish Cypriots concerning (a) the imprisonment of journalist Shener Levent and Lavant of XAfrika" newspaper, (b) the outstanding charges against Shener Levent in the military court, (c) the outstanding charges against Ozker Ozkur and Izzet Izcan, political party leaders, in the military court and (d) the use of military court against opponents of the Denktash regime and if he will make a statement.[R] [77925]

Mr. MacShane: I am disappointed that Shener Levent is again being tried in court for publishing articles critical of the Turkish Cypriot authorities. I condemn all attacks on press freedom, and call upon the Turkish

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Cypriot authorities to ensure full respect for the right to freedom of expression of Shener Levent and all Turkish Cypriots. I made a statement on 4 September and the British Government made official representations when Shener Levent and Memduh Ener were imprisoned in August. We will continue to follow this case, and all cases before the military court, closely.

Terrorism

Mr. Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions his Department had with other government departments, concerning (a) proscribing Jemaah Islamiyah under the Terrorism Act 2000 and (b) freezing the assets of that group; and if he will make a statement. [78324]

Mr. Straw: On 23 October 2002 my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer instructed the Bank of England to issue notice requiring all UK banks and financial institutions to freeze the assets of Jemaah Islamiyah. This action was taken in co-ordination with the submission of Jemaah Islamiyah to the United Nations Sanctions Committee in New York. Jemaah Islamiyah was formally added to the United National Sanctions List under Security Council Resolution 1390 on 25 October.

On 28 October 2002 my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary laid before this House the statutory instrument for the proscription of Jemaah Islamiyah in the UK. This issue was debated by both Houses of Parliament on 30 October 2002 and the Order will now come into force on 1 November 2002.

Both of these actions were taken after close consultation between the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Her Majesty's Treasury and the Home Office.

Mr. Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information his Department has collated concerning links between Jemaah Islamiyah and organisations (a) based in Europe, (b) with assets held in Europe and (c) with close links to groups resident in Europe; and if he will make a statement. [78325]

Mr. Straw: The Jemaah Islamiyah group based in South East Asia is not generally thought to operate outside that region and should not be confused with other Islamist groups elsewhere in the world that bear the same name. Information about terrorist groups and their finances is kept under constant review. We believe that the Jemaah Islamiyah group in South East Asia has strong links with the al Qaeda network and that al Qaeda maintains links with terrorists groups around the world, including Europe.

On 23 October 2002 the European Union co-sponsored the submission of Jemaah Islamiyah to the United Nations Sanctions Committee in New York on the basis of that groups links to al Qaeda. Jemaah Islamiyah was added to the United Nations Sanctions List under Security Council Resolution 1390 on 25 October.

Turkey

Mr. Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment

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he has made of the request by Turkey for a date for the commencement of the accession process to the EU to be given at the Copenhagen summit; and if he will make a statement. [77914]

Mr. MacShane: HMG has long been a strong supporter of Turkey's EU candidature and we look forward to Turkey's membership of the EU as soon as possible and in accordance with the conditions which all candidates have to meet. The European Council at Brussels welcomed the important reforms undertaken by the Turkish Government and said that Turkey's progress has brought forward the prospect of opening accession negotiations.

Women, Peace and Security

Ms Oona King: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the implementation of Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security passed on 31October 2000. [79131]

Mr. Rammell: The UN Secretary-General reported to the Security Council on 16 October on implementation of SCR 1325. That report included a number of important points that the Government strongly supports: promoting gender equality is not just the responsibility of women; post-conflict reconstruction should be based on full observance of human rights and the principle of non-discrimination; and more effort is needed to address the problems of children associated with armed groups, particularly girls. The Secretary-General also proposed a target of 50 per cent. women in all areas of UN peace operations by 2015.

The Government strongly supports both the intention and implementation of this ground-breaking resolution. We welcome the UN's efforts to incorporate a gender perspective throughout its work, including peacekeeping and peacebuilding. We are funding a series of projects through the UN's Department of Peacekeeping Operations, UNIFEM (the UN development fund for women) and NGOs to support implementation of the resolution. We used our Presidency of the Security Council in July to host an open debate on conflict, peacekeeping and gender. We shall continue to work through the Security Council, with the UN and in our peace and development efforts for implementation of this resolution and for the benefit of women and all people striving for peace.

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