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2 Apr 2003 : Column 742W—continued

Independent Monitor

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he will announce the name of the new Independent Monitor. [105648]

Mr. Rammell: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office will be recruiting a new Independent Monitor through open competition. We aim to place advertisements for this position in the press in the week commencing 7 April.

Iraqi Ambassador

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs for what reason the Iraqi Ambassador to the United Kingdom was expelled. [105587]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: The Head of the Iraqi Interests Section in the Jordanian Embassy and his Administrative Attaché were given five working days to leave the UK on 24 March. Their presence is no longer appropriate in view of coalition military action in Iraq.

Middle East

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Governments of (a) Oman and (b) Bahrain since the start of the Iraq War. [105646]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: We have regular discussions with these Governments.

Security Council Veto

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the occasions since 1974 when one or more permanent Members used a veto in the UN Security Council, broken down by the proposition under consideration and the vetoing countries. [105435]

Mr. Rammell: The following table includes the date of veto, country (or countries) vetoing, and the subject of the draft resolution that was vetoed:

DateCountriesSubject
31 July 1974USSRSituation in Cyprus
30 October 1974France; UK; USRelationship between UN and South Africa
6 June 1975France; UK; USSituation in Namibia
11 August 1975USApplication for membership for Republic of South Vietnam
11 August 1975USApplication for membership for Democratic Republic of Vietnam
30 September 1975USApplication for membership for Republic of South Vietnam
30 September 1975USApplication for membership for Democratic Republic of Vietnam
8 December 1975USSituation in the Middle East
26 January 1976USMiddle East, including Palestine question
6 February 1976FranceSituation in the Comoros
25 March 1976USSituation arising from recent developments in occupied Arab territories
23 June 1976USApplication for membership for Angola
29 June 1976USQuestion of the exercise of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people
19 October 1976France; UK; USSituation in Namibia
15 November 1976USApplication for membership for Socialist republic of Vietnam
31 October 1977France; UK; USQuestion of South Africa
31 October 1977France; UK; USQuestion of South Africa
31 October 1977France; UK; USQuestion of South Africa
15 January 1979USSRVietnam's invasion of Cambodia
16 March 1979USSRThe situation in south-east Asia and its implications for international peace and security
7 January 1980USSRSoviet invasion of Afghanistan
13 January 1980USSRCall for sanctions against Iran because of the American hostages
30 April 1980USQuestion of exercise by the Palestinian people of their inalienable rights
30 April 1981France; UK; USQuestion of Namibia
30 April 1981France; UK; USQuestion of Namibia
30 April 1981France; UK; USQuestion of Namibia
30 April 1981France; UK; USQuestion of Namibia
31 August 1981USSouth African incursion in Angola
20 January 1982USIsraeli annexation of the Golan Heights
2 April 1982USNicaragua; US military exercises with Honduras
2 April 1982USSituation in occupied Arab territories: Palestine
20 April 1982USSituation in occupied Arab territories: Palestine
4 June 1982UK; USFalklands Question
8 June 1982USIsraeli invasion of Lebanon
26 June 1982USIsraeli invasion of Lebanon
6 August 1982USIsraeli invasion of Lebanon
2 August 1983USSituation in occupied Arab territories
12 September 1983USSRThe shooting down by the Soviet Union of a South Korean civil airliner
27 October 1983USThe US invasion of Grenada
29 February 1984USSRUnited Nations role in Lebanon
4 April 1984USThe mining of Nicaraguan ports
6 September 1984USIsraeli occupation of Lebanon
12 March 1985USIsraeli occupation of Lebanon
10 May 1985USEconomic sanctions against Nicaragua
10 May 1985USEconomic sanctions against Nicaragua
10 May 1985USEconomic sanctions against Nicaragua
26 July 1985UK; USThe question of South Africa
13 September 1985USSituation in occupies Arab territories: Palestine
15 November 1985UK; USQuestion of Namibia
17 January 1986USIsraeli Occupation of Lebanon
30 January 1986USProvocative acts in relation to Al Aqsa Mosque
6 February 1986USIsraeli interception and detention of Libyan civilian aircraft
21 April 1986France; UK; USUnited States raid on Libya
23 May 1986UK; USSouth African raids into Botswana, Zambia and Zimbabwe
18 June 1986UK; USSouth African attacks on Angola
31 July 1986USNicaragua and the ICJ Judgments
28 October 1986USNicaragua and ICJ Judgment
20 February 1987UK; USSouth Africa
9 April 1987UK; USQuestion of Namibia
18 January 1988USIsraeli occupation of Lebanon
1 February 1988USSituation in the occupied territories: Palestine
8 March 1988UK; USSanctions against South Africa
15 April 1988USSituation in the occupied territories: Palestine
10 May 1988USIsraeli invasion of Southern Lebanon
14 December 1988USIsraeli raid on Lebanon
11 January 1989France; UK; USShooting down of Libyan aircraft
17 February 1989USSituation in the occupied territories: Palestine
9 June 1989USSituation in the occupied territories: Palestine
7 November 1989USSituation in the occupied territories: Palestine
23 December 1989US; UK; FranceThe invasion of Panama
17 January 1990USViolation of diplomatic privileges and immunities of the Nicaraguan Ambassador's residence in Panama
31 May 1990USSituation in the occupied territories: Palestine
11 May 1993RussiaSituation in Cyprus
2 December 1994RussiaThe situation in the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina
17 May 1995USThe situation in the occupied Arab territories
10 January 1997ChinaCentral America: efforts towards peace
7 March 1997USThe situation in the occupied Arab territories
21 March 1997USThe situation in the occupied Arab territories
25 February 1999ChinaThe situation in Macedonia
27 March 2001USEstablishment of UN observer force to protect Palestinian civilians
14 December 2001USSituation in the occupied territories: Palestine
30 June 2002USUNMIBH and the ICC
20 December 2002USSituation in the occupied territories: Palestine

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Weapons of Mass Destruction

Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of whether (a) North Korea, (b) Iran and (c) Cuba possess weapons of mass destruction; and if he will make a statement. [105122]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: We have for some time had serious concerns about the weapons of mass destruction (WMD) programmes of a number of countries. We are

2 Apr 2003 : Column 744W

particularly concerned by recent statements and actions by North Korea whom we believe to have ambitions to manufacture nuclear weapons.

We have also noted information which has recently become available on the nature and scale of Iran's nuclear programme. It is a matter of concern that Iran did not make the information available to the International Atomic Energy Agency earlier. We note that the IAEA Director-General has said that some nuclear safeguards issues remain to be clarified.

2 Apr 2003 : Column 745W

We have no clear evidence that Cuba is engaged in a programme to develop WMD, although we do have some concerns about the scale of their pharmaceutical production capacity. Cuba has recently signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, a move which we have publicly welcomed.

We consistently call upon all states that have not yet done so to sign, ratify and abide by the obligations of all the International Treaties and Conventions covering the development of weapons of mass destruction and the means for their delivery.

Zimbabwe

Mr. Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what contingency plans the High Commission in Harare is putting in place as a result of the recent increase in state-sponsored violence; and if he will make a statement on the situation in Zimbabwe. [105836]

Mr. Straw: The British High Commission in Harare keeps the political and security situation in Zimbabwe under close review. The High Commission's contingency plans are flexible and designed to cope with any likely eventualities in Zimbabwe.

Mr. Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when Zimbabwe's suspension from the Councils of the Commonwealth will be reviewed; and what discussions his Department has had with the South African Government concerning Zimbabwe's suspension. [105835]

Mr. Straw: The Commonwealth Secretary General has stated that Zimbabwe's suspension from the Councils of the Commonwealth will be reviewed at the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Abuja in December.

We have maintained regular contact with the South African Government on this issue. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office's Director for Africa addressed it with senior South African officials during a visit to Pretoria in the week of 17 March; and my noble Friend Baroness Amos, Minister for Africa, is in South Africa this week.


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