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28 Apr 2003 : Column 123W—continued
International Criminal Court
Mr. Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the circumstances in which the International Criminal Court could intervene to prosecute UK citizens in cases where the British judicial system was unwilling or unable to do so. [103780]
Mr. Rammell: In accordance with the complementarity provisions of the Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the International Criminal Court Act 2001 (which gave domestic effect to the Statute), the relevant UK authorities will, where appropriate, exercise jurisdiction in respect of allegations against UK service personnel, UK Citizens or residents.
Iraq
Mr. Leigh: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with Iraqi opposition groups about the nature of a post-war Iraq Government. [107823]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: We hold regular consultations with the Iraqi community in the UK and elsewhere and are actively seeking their input into a representative post-Saddam Government in Iraq.
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Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the Government's policy is on the participation of pro-independence Kurdish political parties and pro-Iranian Islamic fundamentalist parties in elections in post-war Iraq. [107971]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: As my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister told the House on 2 April 2003,
"We want Iraq to be run by the Iraqi people for the Iraqi people". And we want to get to this point as soon as possible.
We hope that any post-Saddam representative authority in Iraq will include all sections of Iraqi society. However, as we have made clear on many occasions, we condemn terrorism and terrorist organisations and do not expect recognised terrorist organisations to be part of the process leading to a representative authority in post-Saddam Iraq.
Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the content of the 1994 US Senate Riegle Report, with particular reference to Chapter 1, Part 2, US Exports of Biological Materials to Iraq. [108536]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: The section of the report dealing with US exports of biological materials to Iraq contains details of a number of exports of both pathogenic and non-pathogenic materials in the 1980s. These exports were licensed by the relevant US authority at the time, on the basis that they were for legitimate scientific research purposes.
Mr. David: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has collated on whether the President of Ukraine authorised arms shipments to Iraq last year. [109096]
Mr. MacShane: In September 2002 the United States authenticated a recording of President Kuchma in 2000 authorising a transfer of arms to Iraq. A US-UK team of experts visited Ukraine in October 2002 to investigate. The team concluded that they were not satisfied that the arms could not have been transferred. The matter has therefore remained open.
Joan Ruddock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the (a) names and (b) organisations of those attending the meeting in Nassiriya on 15 April; and which of them are women. [110184]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: The US organisers of the Nassiriya meeting issued invitations to individual Iraqis, not organisations. It would be inappropriate to name these individuals without their consent. Six Iraqi women were invited. At least four are reported to have attended and three spoke publicly. Eight US female staff were also invited. The Government welcome the commitment made at the meeting, that
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Mr. Mike O'Brien: The coalition will limit itself to emergency maintenance and repairs, and other short term measures, which might allow production at or above last year's level, itself about the same as in 1990. But my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has made it quite clear on numerous occasions that Iraqi oil belongs to the people of Iraq. All major investment decisions should be taken by the Iraqis themselves, not the coalition.
Lusaka and Pretoria Agreements
Mr. Tynan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions (a) he and (b) his Department has had with the Governments of (i) Rwanda, (ii) Burundi, (iii) Uganda, (iv) the Democratic Republic of Congo and (v) the United Nations Organisation Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo regarding (A) the implementation of the Lusaka Ceasefire and Pretoria agreements and (B) recent developments in the Ituri region. [109226]
Mr. Rammell: FCO officials have regular discussions with all regional Governments listed and with the UN (both in New York and in the Great Lakes region) about the conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo and the implementation of the Lusaka and Pretoria Agreements. We warmly welcomed the agreement signed in Sun City on 2 April on the establishment of a transitional government with a view to democratic elections in two years time. This concluded the Inter-Congolese Dialogue provided for under the Lusaka Agreement. We will continue to be involved in the peace process as members of the International Committee for Support to the Transition.
We were shocked to learn of the appalling massacre of civilians by militia in the DRC's Ituri Province on 3 April. My noble Friend, the Baroness Amos, issued a statement on 7 April strongly condemning this tragedy. A copy has been placed in the Library of the House. We are concerned about the effect of the situation in Ituri on relations between Rwanda and Uganda. We have urged Rwanda and Uganda to exercise restraint and not to become engaged in direct confrontation on Congolese soil.
Middle East
Mr. Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make an assessment of the effectiveness of cumulate origin for industrial products in advancing economic and political stability in the Middle East region. [108646]
Mr. MacShane: The EU envisages cumulative rules of origin in cooperation with its trading partners in the Middle East who are participants in the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership. These rules are being implemented and Euro-Med trade ministers have asked for an update on progress in implementation at their next meeting in the second half of 2003. A subsequent assessment of their impact will then be possible.
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Montserrat
Mr. Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has held with the Secretary of State for International Development regarding humanitarian aid to Montserrat. [108657]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: My noble Friend, Baroness Amos, the Minister for Overseas Territories, meets regularly with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for International Development to discuss the Overseas Territories, including Montserrat. The last meeting was on 27 March.
National Insurance
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the cost will be to public funds in 2003–04 of the rise in national insurance contributions on the salary bill of his Department. [107905]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: We estimate that the changes to employers' national insurance contributions announced in the Budget will increase pay costs on average by 0.7 per cent. next year.
North Korea
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans the Government have to help to bring about a peaceful resolution to the situation in North Korea; and if he will make a statement. [109007]
Mr. Rammell: We believe that multilateral diplomatic efforts can bring about a peaceful settlement. Her Majesty's Government are working closely with key international partners to find a peaceful and durable solution to this issue. We continue to engage directly with the North Korean Government on this matter through our embassy in Pyongyang, and with DPRK officials based in London.
Ms Atherton: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Government of China on the repatriation of North Korean refugees. [108696]
Mr. Rammell: We regularly raise the issue of North Korean refugees with the Chinese, including at the biannual UK/China Human Rights Dialogue. At the last round of the dialogue, on 21 November 2002, we urged China to allow the UNHCR access to the border areas and to observe its obligations under the 1951 Refugee Convention.
We will continue to encourage greater co-operation between China and UNHCR on this issue.
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