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11 Mar 2003 : Column 157W—continued
Defence Adviser (Harare)
Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the functions of the Office of the Defence Adviser in the British High Commission in Harare. [102385]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: The main role of our Defence Adviser in Harare is to provide military advice to our High Commission, to maintain liaison with the Zimbabwe Defence Force and report on their military activities and capabilities. He also has a regional role, covering Botswana, Malawi and Mozambique, in addition to Zimbabwe. Our Defence Adviser's duties in Zimbabwe are circumscribed by the UK embargo on Zimbabwe, imposed in May 2000.
Defence Attachés/Defence Advisers
Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the difference in roles is between a Defence Attaché and a Defence Adviser in UK embassies and diplomatic missions overseas. [102383]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: Defence Attachés serve at embassies and Defence Advisers serve at High Commissions. Their role is the same.
Military Advisers as also attached to the Permanent Representatives to the UK Mission to the UN in New York and to the UK Delegation to the OSCE in Vienna.
Diego Garcia
Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the financial arrangements are for the use of Diego Garcia by the United States; and what payments have been received in each year since 1997. [100893]
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Mr. Mike O'Brien: The United States makes no payments to the UK in respect of the US defence facility in Diego Garcia. All costs incurred are borne by the United States.
European Union
Mr. Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the Government's policy is on the EU enlargement negotiations on (a) the size of regional funds and (b) the role of (i) member states and (ii) the Commission in their distribution. [102261]
Mr. MacShane: At the Copenhagen European Council in December 2002, the UK along with other EU member states finalised the terms of accession with 10 new members. This included an allocation of Euro25.5 billion (£17.4 billion) for structural and cohesion funds (SCF) in the new member states between 2004–06, distributed to the 10 countries in line with existing rules. These will be administered by regional authorities, Central Governments and the Commission on the basis of the current SCF regulations.
Mr. Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the enlargement negotiation in the EU on the (a) size and (b) method of distribution of EU regional funds will be concluded. [102263]
Mr. MacShane: Enlargement negotiations with 10 countries were concluded at the Copenhagen European Council in December 2002.
Mr. Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what negotiations are in progress on the regional funds of the EU. [102262]
Mr. MacShane: EU negotiations on the future of the Structural and Cohesion Funds after 2006 are unlikely to commence until the European Commission has issued its proposals. Those proposals are expected to issue in November 2003.
Iraq
Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether it is his policy that the arms embargo upon Iraq should continue in the event of a post-Saddam Hussein administration; and if he will make a statement. [101216]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: The present arms embargo on Iraq was imposed by the United Nations Security Council under resolution 661(1990). We would support the lifting of this embargo as and when circumstances warrant.
Mr. Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has held with the (a) US and (b) Turkish Governments on the presence of Turkish troops in northern Iraq; and if he will make a statement. [101410]
Mr. MacShane: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs has been in frequent contact with the US Government on issues related to Iraq; from time to time discussions have
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included this topic. The Foreign Secretary last met Turkish Foreign Minister Yakis at Copenhagen on 13 December. They did not discuss Iraq.
Mr. Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether British Government representatives were invited to the recent meeting in northern Iraq between the US special envoy and Kurdish and Iraqi opposition groups. [101411]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: The conference was organised by the Iraqi opposition as a follow-up to the conference held in London in December last year. We were invited to attend but, for logistical reasons, decided not to send a representative. However, UK officials continue to maintain contacts with a wide range of Iraqi opposition groups.
Mr. Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether it is the policy of his Government to support a UN administration in Iraq following any change of regime in that country. [101598]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: We would support a UN-authorised transitional civilian administration, if there were a change of regime in Iraq. We would want this to be followed by a new broad-based, effective and representative Iraqi Government.
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the UK's relations with European countries with regard to Iraq. [101646]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister and I have had frequent discussion on Iraq with European counterparts in multilateral format, most recently at the meeting of the European Union's General Affairs and External Relations Council on 24 February 2003 and the special European Council on 17 February 2003. The position of the European Union is set out in the statement of the European Council on 17 February 2003, a copy of which has been placed in the Library of the House.
Israel
Mr. Dhanda: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what discussions he has had with (a) the Israeli authorities and (b) the United Nations regarding the construction of the concrete separation wall in the West Bank; [101202]
- (2) what representations he has made to (a) the Israeli authorities and (b) the United Nations on the concrete separation wall deviating from the 1967 green line border. [101201]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: Our Embassy in Tel Aviv has raised with the Government of Israel our concerns about the location and likely impact of the "security fence". We deplore the seizure of Palestinian land, the isolation of Palestinian villages, and the creation of a further physical obstacle to the two-State solution. While we fully understand Israel's need to take steps, within the law, to protect itself from terrorist attack, lasting security can only be achieved through a negotiated peace. We have also discussed the security fence with UN representatives.
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A final settlement must provide for a viable Palestinian State to exist alongside Israel, both within secure and recognised borders. We look forward to the Quartet publishing its road map, which will set out a phased programme leading to a final settlement within three years, soon. In implementing the road map, all parties must also refrain from actions which obstruct the search for peace.
Military Equipment (Overseas Sales)
Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the role of UK embassies and diplomatic missions overseas in promoting sales of British military equipment. [102384]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: Some of our embassies and diplomatic missions have defence sections who help in promoting the acquisition of British defence equipment, and this is supplemented in a small number of missions by defence sales representatives. Heads of mission and their deputies may give support to this work as appropriate.
Mr. Peter Longworth
Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when Mr. Peter Longworth left his post as British High Commissioner in Harare. [102386]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: Mr. Peter Longworth left his post as British High Commissioner in Harare on 30 June 2001.
Regional Assistance
Mr. Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the Government's policy is on the proportion of regional assistance determined by (a) the EU and (b) the UK Government. [102260]
Mr. MacShane: Current arrangements for EU regional assistance through the Structural and Cohesion Funds apply from 2000 to 2006. As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry announced to the House on Thursday 6 March, Official Report, column 86WS, the Government have launched a consultation on the future of European Union Structural Funds after 2006.
The Government have put forward the EU Framework for Devolved Regional Policy as their preferred approach. This would focus EU regional assistance on the poorest member states of the EU; richer member states such as the UK would finance their regional policy domestically, and we would increase UK Government spending to ensure that the UK nations and regions did not lose out financially as a result of reform.
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