Correspondence between the Clerk of the
Committee and the Head of the Parliamentary Relations and Devolution
Department, Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Letter from the Clerk of the Committee
to the Head of PRDD, Foreign and Commonwealth Office
TURKEY
The Committee today considered the Government's
response[3]
to its Sixth Report on Turkey, and has asked me to write requesting
the following further information.
1. Torture: The Government's response
to the Committee's recommendation at paragraph 43 does not entirely
address the Committee's point, which was about the involvement
of international NGOs in Government human rights training programmes.
In its Report, the Committee comments: "We were surprised
to hear from Amnesty International that they have no input into
the Government's human rights training programmes for the Turkish
authorities. NGOs such as Amnesty have first-hand experience of
the human rights situation on the ground in Turkey, and it could
be useful to draw on this experience when devising training programmes
intended to improve the situation." The Committee would appreciate
a direct response on this point.
2. Assistance from the UK and EU:
In its response to the Committee's recommendation at paragraph
76, the Government states: "Extension of the Phare programme
to Turkey may be something for consideration later this year".
The Committee urges the Government to ensure that this matter
is indeed considered, and it has asked for an update on the situation
as soon as possible after such consideration has occurred, or
early in 2003 should it not occur this year, with an explanation
as to why this is the case.
3. Assistance from the UK and EU:
In its response to the Committee's recommendation at paragraph
78, the Government states: "Any additional funding for Turkey
which becomes available during Spending Round 2002 would undoubtedly
be focussed in these key areas [capacity building, human and institutional]".
How has additional funding from Spending Round 2002 been allocated
to Turkey programmes?
4. Cyprus: The Committee understands
that, in the context of ongoing negotiations, the Government's
response to the Committee's conclusion and recommendation at paragraph
92 is as much as can be stated publicly. Is the Government able,
however, to elaborate on its response by way of a confidential
memorandum?
5. Bilateral relations: In its response
to the Committee's recommendations at paragraph 122, the Government
notes that "the strong case for spending more in Turkey on
programmes such as Chevening scholarships has helped underpin
one significant element in the FCO's bid during SR2002."
Following the increase in allocations for Chevening scholarships
in the 2002 Spending Review, can an update be provided to the
table of Wider Europe Chevening allocations provided by the FCO
on 20 March, and set out at page Ev 80 of the Committee's Report[4],
Specifically, has the allocation to Turkey increased, and by how
much?
6. The Committee would also like updates
in due course on:
— progress on exploring with the Turkish
authorities the Committee's recommendation at paragraph 41 (on
the Police and Criminal Evidence Act);
— the results of the FCO's evaluation
of projects to improve use of forensic techniques by the Jandarma
and police (see paragraph 42);
— the outcome of the Government's undertaking
to consider providing funds to encourage greater cross-border
co-operation between Turkey and Iran, and increasing assistance
to Turkish customs operating at vulnerable border crossings (see
paragraph 114);
— the outcome of the Government's consideration
of what more can be done to enhance British-Turkish relations
at the level of civic society (see paragraphs 125).
The Chairman has also written separately to
the Foreign Secretary, requesting a response as soon as possible
to each of the Committee's conclusions which is not directly addressed
in the published Government response.5
Please can a reply on points 1 to 5 be provided
by midday on Wednesday 18 September.
Clerk of the Committee
23 July 2002
3 Cm 5529, July 2002. Back
4
HC (2001-02) 606. Back
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