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Gibraltar

Mr. Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans his Department has to celebrate the 300th anniversary of British sovereignty over Gibraltar; and what representations he has received from (a) the Gibraltar Government and (b) Spain concerning the anniversary. [100312]

Mr. MacShane: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Chorley (Mr. Hoyle) on 26 February 2003, Official Report, column 595W. We have not received any representations.

Human Rights Convention

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions have been held with non-governmental human rights groups in preparation for the forthcoming UN Human Rights Convention, which opens on 17 March 2003 in Geneva. [100511]

Mr. Rammell: I attended a pre-Commission on Human Rights (CHR) briefing session with NGO human rights groups on 13 February this year. The aim of the meeting was to brief the human rights community on the UK's approach towards the CHR and to give them the opportunity to feed in their views. The Forum is a key part of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's dialogue with NGOs. Among a total number of 26 NGOs, representatives from Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and the All Party Parliamentary Human Rights Group attended the meeting.

The UK delegation to the CHR in Geneva will keep in regular contact with British and International NGO representatives during this year's session of the CHR.

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs who the United Kingdom representatives will be at the United Nations Human Rights Conventions to be held in Geneva from 17 March 2003. [100517]

Mr. Rammell: I will attend part of this year's session, and, as is customary, will address the Commission in plenary. Mrs. Audrey Glover CMG will head the United Kingdom delegation to the UN Commission on Human Rights as she has done since 1998. The delegation will include officials from the UK Representation to the EU in Brussels, UK Missions to the United Nations in Geneva and New York, as well as London-based officials from the Human Rights Policy Department and Global Issues

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Research Group of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, and a representative from the Department for International Development

Iraq

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the United States Government in respect of the United States registered companies shown to be suppliers to Iraq of military equipment and technology in the dossier provided by Iraq to the United Nations Security Council in December 2002. [100076]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: The Government has made no representations to the Government of the United States on this issue. It is a matter for the Government of the United States to take any action against US-registered companies alleged to have been involved in the supply of military equipment and technology to Iraq.

Vernon Coaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to ensure the widest possible support for the UK sponsored draft resolution on Iraq at the UN; and if he will make a statement. [100276]

Mr. Rammell: We made it clear in tabling the draft Security Council Resolution on 24 February 2003 that it will not be put to a vote immediately. We are in active discussion with other members of the Security Council and key allies to build support for the tabled draft.

Mr. Challen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what evidence there is to support his statement, 26 February 2003, Official Report, column 270, that the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1441 authorises the use of force against Iraq. [100819]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: The statements to which my hon. Friend refers concern the provision in United Nations Security Council resolution 1441(2002) which recalls that the Council has warned Iraq that it will face serious consequences as a result of its continued violation of its obligations. As the Government have made clear, that means consequences up to and including the use of force.

Kosovo

Dr. Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with his European colleagues on the final status of Kosovo; and if he will make a statement. [100013]

Mr. MacShane: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary and I are in close and regular contact with European colleagues. On 24 February 2003, Foreign Ministers issued a statement at the European Union General Affairs and External Relations Council which reiterated the importance of full respect for UNSCR 1244, and urged all parties, both in Belgrade and in Pristina, to refrain from any unilateral initiatives which were incompatible with the objective of a multi-ethnic and democratic Kosovo, and which may jeopardise stability and the normalisation process not only in Kosovo but in the entire region

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Moroccan Prisoners

Dr. Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations his Department has made to the Algerian Government on the condition of Moroccan prisoners in Algerian detention camps. [99992]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: Officials regularly meet with representatives of the Algerian Government. They often raise the subject of the Moroccan prisoners of war held by the Polisario Front in camps in South Western Algeria, particularly when discussing the dispute over Western Sahara.

Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe

Andrew Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a written statement in the Official Report following each (a) ministerial meeting and (b) meeting of the Permanent Representatives of the OSCE. [99442]

Mr. MacShane: We have no plans to make a written statement in the Official Report following each ministerial unless there is an issue of sufficient interest to report. I do not propose to make a written statement following weekly meetings of the Permanent Representatives. The OSCE website: www.osce.org carries reports of key OSCE business and decisions.

Palestinian Refugees

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he has taken to press Israel to implement United Nations General Assembly Resolution 194 of 1948 on the right of return for Palestinian refugees. [100042]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: The issue of the right of return of Palestinian refugees forms part of the final status negotiations. As with the other final status issues, the details of a solution are a matter for negotiation between the parties. We continually impress upon all parties the importance of returning to negotiations, and taking account of the relevant UN Resolutions

Spain

Mr. Hood: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on his discussions with the Spanish Minister for Foreign Affairs since her appointment. [99953]

Mr. MacShane: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary and Foreign Minister Palacio have spoken frequently since her appointment as Foreign Minister in July last year. I also have spoken regularly to my Spanish counterpart, Ramon de Miguel. Discussion has covered international, European and bilateral issues.

Sudan

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received regarding the civil war in Sudan, with specific reference to the bombing campaign of the Sudanese Government in southern Sudan; and if he will place a copy of these reports in the Library. [100737]

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Mr. Rammell: We have received a copy of the US-led Civilian Protection Monitoring Team's report into the incident at Mundri (Lui), south Sudan. A copy of the report has been placed in the Library.

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what end-use monitoring agreements relating to the export of military products are in place with Sudan; and what end-use monitoring mechanisms exist in each case. [96241]

Mr. Rammell [holding answer 7 February 2003]: All export licences to Sudan are assessed against the Consolidated EU and national arms export licensing criteria, including the EU arms embargo and Military End Use Control.

Western Sahara

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has held with UN officials concerning the date of a referendum on the future of the Western Sahara; and if he will make a statement. [100510]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: I refer my hon. Friend to the answers I gave him and the hon. Member for Richmond Park (Dr. Tonge) on 22 January 2003, Official Report, column 358W.

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