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Afghanistan

Mr. Caton: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the timetable is for elimination of poppy production in Afghanistan; and what strategies are in place to fill any loss to local economies caused by the eradication of opium production. [127131]

Mr. Rammell: The Afghan Transitional Administration adopted a national drug strategy on 19 May 2003. Its objective is to eliminate the cultivation, processing and trafficking of illegal drugs in Afghanistan within 10 years. The UK has committed £70 million over the next three years to fund activities that will contribute to achievement of this objective.

However, sustainable reductions in the Afghan drugs trade will be achieved only as progress is made on broader development and security. The UK is leading a Provincial Reconstruction team in Mazar-e-Sharif and has pledged £200 million of development assistance to help create the conditions in which viable alternatives to poppy cultivation can emerge.

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African Union

Mr. Caton: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has held with African leaders about the appointment of President Robert Mugabe by the African Union as its ambassador for southern Africa. [127140]

Mr. Mullin: Robert Mugabe was not appointed by the African Union (AU) as an Ambassador for southern Africa at the recent AU Summit. Zimbabwe was appointed as one of the 14 regional vice-chairs, who together with the current AU Chairperson, President Chissano of Mozambique, form the Bureau of the AU Assembly when it meets in session.

The election of office-bearers, and the items included on the AU Summit agenda, are matters for the African Union.

Mr. Dhanda: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what discussions he has had and intends to have with (a) the United Nations, (b) the United States, (c) the African Union and (d) President Mbeki of South Africa regarding Mr. Robert Mugabe's appointment as the African Union's ambassador for southern Africa; [128184]

(2) what discussions he has had and intends to have with (a) the United Nations, (b) the United States, (c) the African Union and (d) President Mbeki of South Africa regarding the presence of Zimbabwe on the agenda of the African Union summit. [128193]

Mr. Mullin: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Gower (Martin Caton) today (UIN 127140).

Angola

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for City of York (Hugh Bayley) of 20 May 2003, Official Report, columns 722–23W, whether the embassy in Luanda has received an answer to his Department's offer of United Kingdom security assistance; what further discussions (a) he, (b) members of his Department, (c) members of the embassy in Luanda have had with representatives of the government of Angola on this issue; and if he will make a statement. [128241]

Mr. Mullin: The British embassy in Luanda remains in touch with senior members of the Angolan Government and the Angolan military on the offer of UK assistance in Security Sector Reform. The most recent discussions were on 25 July. So far, the Angolan Government has not confirmed whether they wish to accept our offer.

Burundi

Mr. Love: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action he is taking to assist the process of peace in Burundi; and if he will make a statement. [127816]

Mr. Mullin: The British Government are committed to supporting the Arusha process and the transitional government institutions. We have given extensive

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support to South African Vice President Zuma and his facilitation team. We are also supporting the African Mission in Burundi, both financially and politically.

Mr. Love: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action he is taking to ensure that the African Union mission in Burundi is effective and supported; and if he will make a statement. [127817]

Mr. Mullin: The UK is actively supporting the African Union's African Mission in Burundi (AMIB), both financially and politically. We have provided up to £3.9 million to supply vital equipment to the Mozambican contingent. We maintain regular contact with our international partners, the African Union, the UN and senior AMIB personnel, to ensure that AMIB is able to carry out its function.

John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with (a) the United Nations, (b) the United States, (c) the African Union and (d) the Burundi Government regarding international efforts to encourage rebel groups in Burundi to enter into peace negotiations with the Government of Burundi. [128123]

Mr. Mullin: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary met President Ndayizeye on 11 July to discuss the peace process. The UK maintains close contacts with the government of Burundi, the regional facilitation teams, the African Union and the UN, and our other partners in the international community in pursuit of peace in Burundi.

China

Mr. Dhanda: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Chinese Government regarding the pending execution of Tenzin Deleg Rinpoche. [128185]

Mr. Rammell: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Richmond Park Jenny Tonge on 20 March 2003 Official Report column 881W.

We have noted the recent release of some of those arrested at the same time as Tenzin Deleg Rinpoche and shall continue to raise our concerns with the Chinese about this case.

Mr. Dhanda: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had and intends to have with the Chinese Government on holding trials of Tibetan religious leaders in the presence of international observers before sentence is passed. [128187]

Mr. Rammell: We and our EU partners have made clear to the Chinese authorities that all trials should be free and fair and respect due process.

We continue to urge the Chinese authorities to ratify the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).

Mr. Dhanda: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had and intends to have with the Chinese Government regarding its refusal to drop pre-conditions to negotiations with the Tibetan Government in exile. [128188]

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Mr. Rammell: We have made clear to the Chinese authorities our view that a long-term, peaceful solution to the Tibet issue can be found only through dialogue and continue to urge them to engage in dialogue with the Dalai Lama. We have welcomed the recent visits to China by representatives of the Dalai Lama.

My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary raised Tibet with Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing on 25 June, and my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister discussed the issue with the Chinese leadership during his recent visit to China.

Colombia

Mr. McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will press for action in the Council of Ministers to encourage the Colombian Government to respect human rights and international humanitarian law; and if he will make a statement. [127105]

Mr. Rammell: The Council of Ministers took such action in their Conclusions in December 2002. We work closely with our EU Partners on Colombia and human rights. The need to respect human rights and international law was reiterated in the Chairperson's Statement on the Human Rights Situation in Colombia at the UN Commission on Human Rights in Geneva in April. The EU played a substantive role in the drafting of the Statement.

In July EU member states attended the London Meeting on International Support for Colombia. The EU adhered fully to the London Declaration following the meeting, which again made clear the importance of human rights and international humanitarian law.

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what monitoring of the activities of international forces in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is undertaken by the UK; and if he will make a statement. [127394]

Mr. Mullin: The UK monitors the activities of both MONUC (the UN Organisation Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)) and the EU-led Interim Emergency Multinational Force (IEMF) in Bunia (north-eastern DRC), which is now ending its operations. We have received reports from the UN Secretary General and from the Operation Commander of the IEMF (who reports to the EU's Political and Security Committee in Brussels).

The present peace agreements require the withdrawal from DRC of the forces of other foreign governments. Rwanda and Uganda maintain that they have withdrawn all their troops. We continue to monitor the situation closely.

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