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Kyrgyzstan
Mr. Pike: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with non-governmental organisations and international aid organisations regarding building relationships with Kyrgyzstan; and if he will make a statement. [97163]
Mr. MacShane: Officials from the British Embassy in Kazakhstan, which is also responsible for relations with Kyrgyzstan, meet with Kyrgyz NGOs on a regular basis. The Department for International Development office in Bishkek liaises with international aid organisations in Kyrgyzstan and provides technical assistance to programmes funded by, among others, the World bank.
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DfID targets assistance in areas such as rural livelihoods, health, sanitation and water supply, tariff policy and social development.
Mr. Pike: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions the European Union has had regarding developing relations with Kyrgyzstan; and if he will make a statement. [97164]
Mr. MacShane: The framework for relations between the EU and Kyrgyzstan is the EU-Kyrgyzstan Partnership and Co-operation Agreement (PCA). Officials from EU member states and Kyrgyzstan meet annually at a Co-operation Council and a Co-operation Committee in Brussels to discuss progress in relations. The Co-operation Committee last met in November 2002. In the course of developing the dialogue between the parties, the EU occasionally makes representations locally, most recently in late January. It also regularly makes statements at the OSCE Permanent Council in Vienna on bilateral issues and issues of concern. For example, the EU welcomed the recent consultative process of constitutional reform in Kyrgyzstan, but later expressed reservations about it.
The fourth Co-operation Council met in July 2002. The fourth Co-operation Committee will meet in March 2003, and a broad ranging agenda will cover economic issues, justice and home affairs, foreign policy, regional co-operation, democracy and human rights. The most recent statement on Kyrgyzstan at the OSCE Permanent Council was on 6 February.
Nepal
Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) in what measures the Government is involved to strengthen Nepal's (a) military and (b) police capacity; [96668]
- (2) in what initiatives the Government is involved to create a lasting peace in Nepal. [96667]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: The Government welcomes the ceasefire agreed between the Government of Nepal and the Maoists on 29 January. We remain committed to working with the Nepalese, and our international partners, towards a lasting peace in Nepal and we continue to coordinate international efforts to help resolve the conflict in Nepal. This is largely being done through the International Support Group, a body formed as a result of the international conference hosted by the UK in London in June. Further to our £22 million bilateral development programme, we have a package of £6.7 million under our Global Conflict Prevention Pool. Projects funded from this pool are aimed at short-term development and reinforcing Nepal's development, military and police capacity.
An advisor from the Department for International Development is working with the Inspectorate General of Police in Nepal on reforms to modernise and enhance the professionalism of the police. This includes support to establish an Independent Police Service Commission, enhance police training and extend community policing.
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For details of our military assistance to Nepal, I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 6 November 2003, Official Report, column 310W, to the hon. Member for Richmond Park (Dr. Tonge).
Consular Prison Visits
Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what guidelines he has issued on how often representatives from British high commissions or British embassies visit British nationals serving prison sentences in foreign countries to check their health and prison conditions; and to whom reports of these visits are made. [97537]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: In July 1992, the Consular Action Plan (CAP) was established to ensure the principles of the Citizen's Charter were introduced into consular work.
On prison visiting, the CAP sets the target time for the first contact to be made with the detainee within 24 hours of notification of arrest and the first visit within 48 hours of that notification. Thereafter, consular staff are advised to visit at "reasonable" intervals, depending on the circumstances and needs of the individual prisoner. In countries where prison conditions are harsh, efforts are made to ensure that detainees receive at least quarterly visits.
During consular visits, staff will:
- ensure the person is not being subjected to degrading or inhumane treatment, or being discriminated against on grounds of nationality;
gain an impression of the person's state of health to enable appropriate follow-up action to be taken with the prison authorities;
give the person the opportunity to express any legitimate complaint about the conditions of imprisonment;
facilitate, if necessary, contact between the detainee and a lawyer;
if appropriate, discuss arrangements for the person's return to the UK on release.
Turkish-Cypriot Community
Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last met representatives of the Turkish-Cypriot community in the UK; and what issues were discussed. [97776]
Mr. MacShane: Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials are in regular contact with representatives and members of both Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot communities in the UK in order to discuss the full range of issues of interest to those communities.
The current UN talks process is naturally of particular concern. The Government continues to express its full support for the UN Secretary-General's 10 December proposals, which would provide for a settlement in the best interests of all Cypriots. We are urging all those involved to secure a settlement by
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28 February, enabling referenda to be held on both sides of the island and a reunited Cyprus to sign the Treaty of Accession with the EU on 16 April.
I maintain a close interest in the settlement process and regularly meet interested parties in the UK. Most recently, I held a discussion with the Friends of Cyprus Group on the state of play in the settlement talks.
Western Sahara
Dr. Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made concerning the referendum on the future of Western Sahara to (a) the Government of Morocco and (b) the United Nations; and if he will make a statement. [97509]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave her on 22 January, Official Report, column 358W.
The Secretary General (UNSG) reported to the United Nations Security Council on the situation concerning Western Sahara in advance of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) mandate renewal. His personal envoy (PE), James Baker has presented a proposal to the parties to the dispute for a political solution, as requested by Security Council Resolution 1429 of 30 July 2002. His proposals have not been published.
Our position remains that we fully support the UN process and the efforts of the UNSG and PE to find a political solution to this dispute that provides for self-determination of the people of Western Sahara (as UNSCR 1429 of 30 July 2002). We supported the extension of MINURSO's mandate until 31 March 2003 as requested by the UNSG to give the parties time to consider the latest proposals.
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Zimbabwe
Mr. Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what special arrangements his Department is making to ensure that those teachers that hold British passports, and who are leaving Zimbabwe owing to political oppression, are categorised as skilled or semi-skilled workers rather than economic migrants when entering the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement. [97548]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: British citizens have the right of abode in the United Kingdom, and there is therefore no need for them to be categorised according to their skills. British passport-holders who have other categories of British nationality may enter the UK as visitors, but would need to seek prior entry clearance before coming to the UK for any other reason.
Mr. Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what special arrangements his Department is making to ensure that those pensioners that hold British passports, and who are leaving Zimbabwe owing to political oppression, are given priority in entering the UK; what arrangements are being made to ensure their financial needs are met; and if he will make a statement. [97549]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: No special arrangements have been made for British pensioners who choose to leave Zimbabwe and return to the UK.
Any British citizen arriving in the UK from abroad may make an immediate claim for income-support, housing benefit, council tax benefits and jobseeker's allowance (income-based) subject to meeting certain criteria, including demonstrating that they are habitually resident in the UK. These benefits are only paid to people with close ties to the UK and an intention to settle here.
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