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Ministerial Meeting (Indian Foreign Minister)

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on his recent meeting with Mr. Yashwant Sinha, the Indian Foreign Minister. [79927]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary met Yashwant Sinha, the Indian Foreign Minister, in London on 31 October. They discussed a wide range of bilateral and international issues. They agreed that the bilateral relationship is in excellent shape, and reiterated our joint commitment to developing further cooperation in line with the provisions of the New Delhi Declaration signed by the two Prime Ministers in January. The Foreign Secretary also reiterated the UK's support for India's permanent membership of the UN Security Council.

My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary welcomed the recent successful Jammu and Kashmir elections and discussed with Mr. Sinha how tensions in the region could be further reduced.

North Korea

Mr. Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what contributions the United Kingdom has made through the EU to the North Korean light water nuclear reactor programme; and whether the United Kingdom was represented at the foundation laying ceremony in August. [79928]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: The light water reactor project, established under the 1994 Agreed Framework, forms part of a package of measures introduced to bring DPRK into line with its international obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. The UK contributions, made through the European Atomic Energy Commission, amount to a total of #10.64 million (up to the end of Financial year 2001–02. This year's contribution has not yet been made).

The European Commission represented all EU Member States at the foundation laying ceremony.

Ascension Island

Mr. Watts: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on democratic development on Ascension Island. [80105]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: The residents of Ascension Island voted overwhelmingly in August this year to establish an Island Council. This was a key step towards a

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democratic system of government, the first in the island's history. The election of Councillors took place on 1 November, and has resulted in a broad cross-section of the island's population being represented on the Island Council. We hope that the Island Council will work closely with the Administrator and the Governor for the long-term benefit of Ascension Island.

Sudan

Mr. Neil Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the application for an export licence for the supply of two de-mining vests to the United Nations Office for Project Services in Sudan.

Mr. Rammell: The Government recently approved an application for a licence to export two de-mining vests for the United Nations Office for Project Services in Sudan. Although the demining vests are on the Military List, they will be used to open roads and increase the cost effectiveness of the UN relief operation which is working to alleviate the suffering in Sudan. This decision does not affect the Government's continued support for the EU common position on arms exports to Sudan.

Council of the European Union

Lawrie Quinn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the forthcoming business in the Council of the European Union for November and major European Union events for the period from 30 November to May 2003. [80107]

Mr. MacShane: The information is as follows:

NOVEMBER 2002
4	Brussels	Culture Council
5	Brussels	ECOFIN
6	Brussels	Meeting of the Prasidium
7	Brussels	Health Council
7–8	Brussels	Convention Plenary
11	Brussels	EU—Russia Summit
11–12	Brussels	Education, Youth & Culture Council
14–15	Brussels	Internal Market, Consumer Affairs & Tourism Council
18–19	Brussels	General Affairs & External Relations
council (+ Defence)
21	Brussels	Meeting of the Prasidium
21–22	Brussels	Aarhus—Informal Sports Ministers
25–26	Brussels	Budget Meeting
25–26	Brussels	Industry & Energy Council
28	Brussels	Meeting of the Prasidium
28–29	Brussels	Justice & home Affairs & Civil protection Council
29–30	Copenhagen	Enhanced European Co-operation (Ministerial)
DECEMBER
2	Brussels	Meeting On Macro Economic Dialogue (Ministerial Troika)
3	Brussels	ECOFIN
2–3	Brussels	Employment, Social Policy, Health & Consumer Affairs Council
4	Brussels	Meeting of the Praesidium
5	Brussels	Transport & Telecom Council
6	Brussels	Transport & Telecom Council
9	Brussels	General Affairs Council
10	Brussels	Environment Council
12–15	Copenhagen	European Council
16–17	Brussels	Fisheries Council
19	Brussels	Meeting of the Praesidium
20	Brussels	Justice And Home Affairs & Civil Protection Council
20–21	Brussels	Convention Plenary-External Action and Defence working group conclusions
JANUARY
9	Brussels	Meeting of the Praesidium
9	Brussels	Agriculture & Fisheries Council (to be confirmed)
16	Brussels	Meeting of the Praesidium
20	Brussels	EUROGROUP (evening)
20	Brussels	Convention Plenary
20–21	Brussels	Agriculture & Fisheries Council
21	Brussels	ECOFIN
24	Nafplion	Employment Council (Ministerial Informal)
27–28	Brussels	General Affairs & External Relations Council
28	Brussels	EU-ASEAN Ministerial
30	Brussels	Meeting of the Praesidium
FEBRUARY
5	Brussels	Meeting of the Praesidium
6–7	Brussels	Convention Plenary
10–11	Brussels	AGRICULTURE & FISHERIES Council (to be confirmed)
13	Brussels	Meeting of the Praesidium
17	Brussels	EUROGROUP (evening)
18	Brussels	ECOFIN
20	Brussels	EDUCATION, YOUTH & CULTURE Council (to be confirmed)
22	Thessaloniki	Energy Council (Ministerial Informal)
24–25	Brussels	General Affairs & External Relations Council Agriculture & Fisheries
26	Brussels	Meeting of the Praesidium
27–28	Brussels	Convention Plenary
27–28	Brussels	Justice & Home Affairs Council
28	Brussels	Employment, Social Policy, Health & Consumer Affairs Council
MARCH
1–2	Ioannina	Informal Education
3	Brussels	Competitiveness Council
4	Brussels	Environment Council
6	Brussels	Meeting of the Praesidium
6	Luxembourg	Employment, Social Policy, Health & Consumer Affairs Council
6	Luxembourg	EUROGROUP (evening)
7	Luxembourg	ECOFIN
7	Luxembourg	Transport, Telecom & Energy Council
13	Brussels	Meeting of the Praesidium
14–15	Athens	(Informal Defence Meeting)
17–18	Brussels	Convention Plenary
17–18	Luxembourg	Agriculture & Fisheries Council
18–19	Luxembourg	General Affairs & External Relations Council
21	Brussels	European Council
27	Brussels	Meeting of the Praesidium
27	Veria	Justice and Home Affairs Council (Ministerial Informal)
27–28	Luxembourg	Transport, Telecom & Energy Council)
28	Athens	EU-Rio Group, EU-MERCOSUR
28–29	Veria	Informal Justice & Home Affairs (Veria)
31	Brussels	Agriculture & Fisheries Council (to be confirmed)
APRIL
2	Brussels	Meeting of the Praesidium
3–4	Brussels	Convention Plenary
4	Brussels	Justice & Home Affairs
4–6	Hania (Crete)	Informal ECOFIN (Ministerial)
5	Lisbon	Europe—Africa Summit
5	Ioannina	Ministerial Meeting on Education (Informal)
10	Brussels	Meeting of the Praesidium
11–13	Chania	ECOFIN (Informal)
14	Brussels	General Affairs & External Relations
14	Brussels	Agriculture & Fisheries
16	Athens	European Conference
16	Athens	Signature Of The Accession (Provisional Date)
23	Brussels	Meeting of the Praesidium
24–25	Brussels	Convention Plenary
MAY
2–4	(Greece)	Gymnich (Informal Foreign Ministers)
5	Athens	Informal Environment (Ministerial)
5–6	Brussels	Education, Youth & Culture Council (To be confirmed)
8	Brussels	Meeting of the Praesidium
12–13	Brussels	Informal Agriculture (Ministerial)
12	Brussels	EUROGRUP
13	Brussels	ECOFIN
14	Brussels	Meeting of the Praesidium
14	Brussels	Transport, Telecom & Energy Council
15–16	Brussels	Convention Plenary
16	Brussels	EU—ACP Ministerial
16–17	Halkidiki	Informal Regional Policy (Ministerial)
16–18	Athens (Cruise)	Informal Transport & Merchant Marine (Ministerial)
17	Brussels	EU—W. Balkans (Zagreb Process)
19	Brussels	General Affairs & External Relations (+ Defence)
20	Brussels	General Affairs & External Relations
22	Brussels	Meeting of the Praesidium
24	Thessaloniki	Informal Culture (Ministerial)
26–27	Brussels	Agriculture & Fisheries Council
26–27	Athens	EUROMED Conference (Mid Term Ministerial)
27	Brussels	Environment Council
28	Brussels	Meeting of the Praesidium
30–31	Brussels	Convention Plenary
31	St. Petersburg	EU—Russia Summit

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