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12 May 2003 : Column 82W—continued
Israel
Sue Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to the Israeli Government to ensure the safety of British citizens engaged in (a) peace campaigning and (b) humanitarian work in Palestine; and if he will make a statement. [111258]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: We have had frequent contact with the Israeli authorities over our concerns about the safety of British nationals in the Occupied Territories. Most recently, I spoke to the Israeli Ambassador on 19 April to raise our concerns. Given the number of recent incidents involving foreign nationals and Palestinian civilians, I asked the Israeli authorities to revise the Rules of Engagement for the Israel Defence Forces to ensure that there can be no repeat of these incidents.
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Middle East
Mr. Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps the Government are taking to encourage religious leaders from all sides in the Middle East to work towards a peace settlement in Israel and Palestine. [110996]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: In January 2002 the Alexandria process brought senior Muslim, Jewish and Christian religious leaders together to work for peace in the Middle East. The Alexandria Declaration pledges religious leaders to work together to promote a peaceful settlement to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and continuing inter-faith dialogue. We recognise the important role religious leaders can play in promoting peace in the Middle East, and we have provided administrative, financial and moral support for this process, with which we remain involved.
Dr. Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations the UK has made to Israel to stop further settlement in East Jerusalem. [111323]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: Our Ambassador in Tel Aviv raised the issue of Israeli settlements in East Jerusalem, and in particular that at Ras al-Amoud, with the Israeli Interior Minister, Avraham Poraz, on 1 April. Ministers and officials regularly make representations to Israel about illegal settlements throughout the Occupied Territories.
A freeze on all settlement building is required under Phase One of the Quartet roadmap. The Government have made it clear that this is essential to the continuing viability of the two-state solution.
Dr. Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions took place among the drafters of the roadmap for peace in the Middle East concerning Israel and the Palestinian Authority's compliance with international law. [111325]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: The UK does not have details of the private discussions between Quartet members during the drafting of the roadmap.
The roadmap is a description of a political process. Its content does not affect Israel's obligations to comply with international law or the commitments given by the Palestinian Authority to do so. The Government are concerned that both Israel and the Palestinian Authority should act in accordance with international law, including the 4th Geneva Convention.
Dr. Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Israeli government concerning the wall surrounding the West Bank; and what response he has received. [111326]
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.
The Israeli Government argues that the construction of the wall is a necessary security measure. We fully understand Israel's security concerns and the need to
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take steps, within the law, to protect itself from terrorist attacks. But lasting peace can only be achieved through a negotiated settlement and not unilateral actions.
Morocco
Mr. Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the government of Morocco regarding the recent arrest of Mr. Sidi Mohammed Daddach; and if he will make a statement. [111182]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: Sidi Mohammed Daddach was held by the Moroccan authorities in Laayoune for a matter of hours before his release. Nevertheless, officials raised our concerns with the Moroccan authorities in April 2003. We will continue to monitor the situation closely, taking appropriate action where necessary.
United Arab Emirates
Mr. Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to his answer of 10 March 2003, column 33W, what action he is taking to seek redress for the period of Mr. Atkinson's detention from arrest to sentencing on 13 December 1999. [108655]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: We have advised Mr. Atkinson that questions about the application and interpretation of Dubai law should be pursued through his legal representatives in the United Arab Emirates.
Mr. Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the response of the Government of Dubai was to his note verbale concerning the detention of Mr. Atkinson; and what measures he took to follow up the note verbale. [108656]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: On 10 November 1998 our Embassy in Dubai sent a note verbale to the Government of Dubai about Mr. Atkinson's detention. On 4 April 1999 the Government of Dubai replied to the note stating that they had been in contact with the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (UNWGAD) and had received confirmation that UNWGAD had accepted the Dubai Government's clarifications.
Nuclear Non-proliferation
Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) if he will place in the Library copies of submissions by (a) the United Kingdom and (b) other states relevant to United Kingdom policy, to the Review Conference of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, held in Geneva from 28 April; and if he will make a statement on compliance with the Treaty; [111237]
- (2) what steps have been taken to implement the total elimination of nuclear weapons as agreed by the United Kingdom and the other states signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty which possess nuclear weapons, at the review and extension conference of the NPT in 2000; [111368]
(3) whether, in respect of commitments entered into in the final declaration of states party to the Nuclear Non-proliferation Review and Extension Conference in 2000, it is Her Majesty's Government's objective to achieve complete nuclear disarmament; [111707]
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(4) what progress has been made in the last five years in improving United Kingdom verification techniques in respect of nuclear weapons; [111709]
(5) in what way Her Majesty's Government has implemented its commitment, made at the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty Review and Extension Conference 2000, to provide regular updates on progress towards nuclear disarmament. [111708]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: The second session of the Preparatory Committee (PrepCom) to the 2005 Review Conference on the implementation of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) is currently meeting in Geneva (28 April to 9 May). The UK remains fully committed to all aspects of the NPT, including global and verifiable nuclear disarmament. The Head of the UK Delegation publicly reaffirmed this commitment to states party to the NPT on 29 April. We have also reaffirmed our commitment to the Decisions and Resolution of the 1995 Review Conference and the Final Document agreed at the 2000 Review Conference. The UK has also made clear that full compliance by all States Party is central to the object and purposes of the Treaty.
At the second session of the PrepCom we also gave a comprehensive account of UK policies in all areas of implementation of the NPT. The UK's speech on 30 April set out some of the steps the UK has taken in recent years towards nuclear disarmament. The US, France, the Russian Federation and China also reported their progress and policies on implementation with their disarmament obligations.
I have placed copies of these five general statements in the Library. I will also be placing copies of all other UK speeches made at this session of the PrepCom in the Library. In due course they can be accessed through the FCO internet site at www.fco.gov.uk.
The UK circulated a working paper at the PrepCom on its research into the verification of nuclear disarmament. The UK presented the conclusions of this interim study at a seminar on 1 May in the margins of the PrepCom. I have also placed a copy of this working paper in the Library. We anticipate publishing a further paper for the 2004 session of the PrepCom and a consolidated paper at the Review Conference in 2005.
Sudan
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on (a) the recent increase in the use of the death penalty in Sudan, with particular reference to the Darfur region and (b) the use of special courts to try people under sharia. [111346]
Mr. Rammell: We are concerned about the use of the death penalty in Sudan. On 26 April 2003 the Minister of Justice confirmed reports that the special courts in Darfur had been abolished. Instructions had been given that in future all trials should be conducted according to normal procedures, including defence lawyers and no military judges. Outstanding death sentences, imposed by the special courts, would be reviewed individually by the appeal court.
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