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Convention on the Future of Europe

Mr. Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the Government will seek to incorporate the UK's opt-out from the euro in the draft document from the Convention on the Future of Europe. [101655]

Mr. MacShane: The Government have made clear that they will only recommend UK membership of the single currency if it is in the national economic interest and the economic benefits are clear and unambiguous. A comprehensive and rigorous assessment of the five economic tests will be made by June of this year. If, on the basis of the assessment, the Government take a

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decision to recommend joining, it will be put to a vote in Parliament and then to a referendum of the British people. Government, Parliament and the people must all agree. Unless and until they do, the Government will not agree to any Treaty that removed the UK's opt-out from EMU.

Departmental Telephone Directory

Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the most recent internal telephone directory for the Department was published; how often it is updated; and if he will place a copy in the Library. [102031]

Mr. Rammell: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office produces an unclassified internal telephone directory, which includes the main contact points and is updated every six months. I am arranging for the most recent edition, which was updated in November 2002, to be deposited in the Library.

EU-Africa Meeting

Mr. Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with (a) European and (b) African partners regarding re-scheduling the postponed EU-African meeting that was intended to be held in April 2003; what date and location have been agreed; what impact cancelling this meeting will have on relations between the two regions; and if he will make a statement. [101779]

Mr. MacShane: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary discussed this matter with European colleagues on several occasions, including at the General Affairs and External Relations Council on 27 January 2003. The EU has agreed that the EU-Africa summit will be held at the earliest possible date; Portugal has renewed its offer to host it. We are committed to the EU-Africa dialogue and discussions with African partners are being taken forward by the EU troika. African countries recognise that the summit could not be held in April 2003 because it would not have been possible to achieve the broadest participation at the highest level. They also acknowledge the commitment of this Government towards Africa, as shown by our significant development programme, which will rise to £1 billion per annum by 2006, and our support to Africa in a number of multilateral fora, including as one of the prime movers behind the G8 Africa Action Plan announced at Kananaskis in June last year.

Euro

Mr. Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether it is the Government's policy that the UK's opt-out from the euro should be included in the draft European constitution. [102148]

Mr. MacShane: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him today (UIN 101655).

Gibraltar

Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he

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has had with the Ministry of Defence regarding commemoration of 300 years of British sovereignty in Gibraltar in 2004. [101414]

Mr. MacShane: As yet there have been no formal discussions between the FCO and the Ministry of Defence on the 300th anniversary of the capture of Gibraltar in 1704 by British forces.

Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the Government of Gibraltar regarding commemoration of 300 years of British sovereignty in Gibraltar in 2004. [101415]

Mr. MacShane: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave him on 26 February 2003, Official Report, column 594W. There have been some informal exchanges between officials and the Gibraltar Government on this matter.

HMS Mauritius

Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what has been the cost in each year since 1997 of training military personnel from the security forces of Mauritius; and how many persons have been trained each year. [100891]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: Records of exact numbers and costs for training military personnel from Mauritius are held centrally by the MOD, and we were unable to obtain them in the timeframe available. A fuller answer will be given to my hon. Friend as soon as we can.

According to the information available, since 2000, a total number of 78 members of the Special Mobile Force (SMF) of Mauritius have received training from the UK. They are as follows:

2000—5;

2001—22;

2002—51

Iraq

Dr. Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with his US counterparts regarding the disarming of the Iraqi population following any successful removal of the Iraqi regime. [100134]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: No decision to launch military action against Iraq has been taken. We regularly discuss all aspects of Iraq policy with our US counterparts.

Mr. Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions Baroness Amos had with the Governments of (a) Guinea, (b) Cameroon and (c) Angola regarding the disarmament of Iraq and UN Resolution 1441; during her recent visit to Africa, what the conclusion of those discussions was; and if he will make a statement. [101775]

Mr. Rammell: My noble Friend Baroness Amos met President Conte of Guinea, President Dos Santos of Angola and President Biya of Cameroon during her recent visit to Africa. She discussed the disarmament of Iraq in accordance with UNSCR 1441 and a range of other bilateral and regional issues.

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Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the US Secretary of State on post- war reconstruction of Iraq; and if he will make a statement. [102509]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: No decision has been taken to launch military action against Iraq. We regularly discuss all aspects of Iraq policy with our US counterparts.

Ivory Coast

Mr. Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions the Baroness Amos has had with the Government of Guinea regarding the present situation in the Ivory Coast; what steps his Department is taking to address this situation; and if he will make a statement. [101773]

Mr. Rammell: My noble Friend, Baroness Amos, discussed regional issues during her visit to Conakry on 25 February 2003. She is also in regular touch with a wide range of ECOWAS leaders about the crisis in Côte d'Ivoire, including the chairman of ECOWAS, President Kufuor of Ghana.

We believe that the Linas Marcoussis Agreement offers the basis for a peaceful political settlement. We urge all Ivorians to work constructively for its implementation. Recent UK support has included £2 million to assist deployment of the ECOWAS peace-monitoring force, and £1 million in humanitarian assistance.

North Korea

Mr. Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions his Department have had with the Governments of (a) the Republic of Korea, (b) China and (c) Japan regarding the security situation in North Korea; and if he will make a statement. [101821]

Mr. Rammell: I discussed this issue during my visit to the region last week, where I held meetings with the new South Korean President, Roh Moo-hyun, Foreign Minister, Yoon Young-kwan, National Security Adviser, Ra Jong Yil, Chinese Vice Foreign Minister, Wang Yi, in Seoul, and the Japanese Deputy Foreign Minister, Tetsuro Yano, in Tokyo.

We have made clear in all our contacts with other Governments that we support a peaceful resolution of the security situation on the Korean Peninsula through multilateral dialogue.

Overseas Trips

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the overseas trips made by himself and other Members of his ministerial team in 2002; and what the (a) purpose and (b) cost was in each case. [101487]

Mr. Rammell: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Yeovil (Mr. Laws) by my hon. Friend the Minister of State, Cabinet Office (Mr. Alexander) on 22 January 2003, Official Report, column 334W.

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Palestine

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has received about the state of health of the Palestinian MP, Marwan Barghouti; and what representations he is making to ensure that Israel complies with Articles 30, 31 and 32 of the Third Geneva Convention and Articles 91 and 92 of the Fourth Geneva Convention in respect of its treatment of Mr. Barghouti. [101574]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: We have received information that Marwan Barghouti's health has deteriorated. Our embassy in Tel Aviv is making inquiries of the Israeli Government over these reports. On 28 February 2003, I wrote to the Israeli Ambassador to raise our concerns. I understand he has now been given the required medication.

The Israeli District Court started legal proceeding against Mr. Barghouti on 5 September 2002. The next hearing is set for 6 April 2003, and we understand that the trial will be over by the end of May 2003. We will continue to monitor this case closely.

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