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Arjan Erkel

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the Russian Government on efforts to secure the release of Arjan Erkel, from Medicins Sans Frontieres, in Dagestan. [132915]

Mr. Rammell: Officials take all appropriate bilateral opportunities to raise this with the Russian authorities. Officials last raised the case of Mr. Erkel in Moscow on 6 October. We and other EU partners fully support the efforts of the Government of the Netherlands to ensure the safe release of Mr. Erkel.

Burma

Mr. Dhanda: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the Government of Burma regarding (a) Aung San Suu Kyi and (b) human rights in Burma. [133574]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: I have had numerous discussions with the Burmese authorities about the detention of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and wider human rights abuses in Burma, most recently on 1 September when I met the Burmese Ambassador. This has been supplemented by representations by the British Embassy in Rangoon.

European Treaties

Mr. Cash: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on what occasions since 1973 the UK has asserted its national law as against its obligations under European treaties. [132935]

Mr. MacShane: The jurisprudence of the European Court of Justice since the case of Costa v. ENEL (case 6/64) has clearly established the principle that no provision of national law may be invoked to override Community law. In Costa v. ENEL the Court ruled that:

"the law stemming from the Treaty ... [cannot] be overidden by domestic legal provisions ... The transfer by the states from their domestic legal systems to the Community legal system of the rights and obligations arising under the Treaty carries with it a permanent limitation of their sovereign rights against which a subsequent unilateral act incompatible with the concept of the Community cannot prevail."

Iraq

Mr. David Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the future UN role in the reconstruction of Iraq. [133159]

Mr. Rammell: The Government remain committed to a vital role for the UN in Iraq, as provided for by Security Council Resolutions 1483 and 1511.

Security Council Resolution 1511, passed unanimously on 16 October 2003, encourages further participation by the UN and the international community in assisting Iraq, including in the political processes leading to the formation of a representative government.

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Following the terrorist attack on the United Nations Headquarters in Baghdad on 19 August, the UN's efforts in Iraq have inevitably been scaled back. We are in discussion with the UN on the security measures needed to ensure that the UN is able to strengthen its vital role in Iraq.

Cyprus

Mr. Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the current position in the Loizidou case. [132579]

Mr. MacShane: The Government supports the implementation of the relevant judgments of the European Court of Human Rights and the efforts currently under way in Strasbourg to achieve this.

An outcome which would satisfy the Committee of Ministers that the judgments of the Court had been properly respected is within our grasp. We urge all concerned to spare no effort to achieve this within the next few days, for the good of the plaintiff, of Turkey's good name in the Council of Europe, of Cyprus and of the region as a whole. Such an outcome would be fully in the spirit of the proposals for a comprehensive settlement put forward by the UN Secretary General. Agreement on the basis of the Annan Plan would provide the shortest route to compensation for Greek and Turkish Cypriots who, like Ms Loizidou, have been deprived of the use of their property and other rights.

North Korea

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the discussions he and members of his Department have had since 1997, with representatives of the Governments of (a) the US, (b) Australia, (c) South Korea, (d) Japan, (e) China, (f) Russia and (g) India on the issue of missile testing in North Korea; where each discussion took place; what concerns were raised by (i) him, (ii) members of his Department and (iii) their respective counterpart(s); and if he will make a statement. [132543]

Mr. Rammell: We regularly discuss North Korea's nuclear programmes and missile proliferation with Australia, South Korea, Japan, China and Russia, both at ministerial and official level. We shall continue to work with international partners towards a peaceful settlement on the Korean peninsula, and to urge North Korea to return to compliance with its international obligations.

Sri Lanka

Mr. Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the peace process in Sri Lanka. [133060]

Mr. Mike O'Brien [holding answer 20 October 2003]: We support the Sri Lankan peace process both politically and practically, and welcome the remarkable progress that has been made since February 2002 when the current ceasefire came into effect. Although the peace talks are currently suspended, the ceasefire is holding. Proposals for an interim administration in the North and East have been put forward by the Government of Sri Lanka, and we hope that the

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Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) will shortly table a counter-proposal that will enable all parties to return to the negotiating table.

Tibet

Mr. Pope: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last raised human rights in Tibet with his Chinese counterparts. [132855]

Mr. Rammell: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary raised Tibet, and the human rights situation in China, when he met Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing on 25 June. My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister also raised Tibet with the Chinese leadership during his visit to China on 20–22 July.

Turkey

Mr. Best: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what measures he is taking to help restore the ceasefire between the Kurds and the Turkish Government. [132239]

Mr. MacShane: We welcome the Turkish "Reintegration Law", passed on 29 July, which enables those associated with a terrorist group, including PKK/KADEK, to renounce the organisation and return home, and introduces lighter sentences for those accused of PKK/KADEK associated crimes. It is encouraging that this is beginning to be implemented.

Properly implemented, this will complement Turkey's efforts to ensure that the human rights of all groups within Turkey, including the Kurds, are protected.

Visas

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the total visa income was in August. [131884]

Mr. Mullin: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is unable to disaggregate UKVisas income as between July and August. UKVisas income for the two months combined was £22,887,111.

Uzbekistan

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Government of Uzbekistan on imprisonment, torture and executions of religious and political opponents of the Government; and if he will make a statement. [132553]

Mr. Rammell: We are deeply concerned by reports of imprisonment, torture and executions of religious and political opponents of the Uzbek Government. We take every opportunity to raise human rights issues bilaterally with the Uzbek authorities, including raising individual cases of religious and political persecution. For instance, I raised human rights issues with the Uzbek Ambassador on 8 October.

We frequently work with EU Partners and within the OSCE to raise our concerns by way of EU statements in Brussels and Vienna and demarches by EU Heads of Mission. The UK supported the EU statement at the OSCE Permanent Council on 17 July condemning the recent executions of individuals whose cases were under

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consideration by the UN Human Rights Committee and calling on Uzbekistan to use OSCE expertise in implementing the UN Special Rapporteur's recommendations. Our Embassy in Tashkent is actively involved in human rights issues and is currently working with human rights organisations, the OSCE, UNDP and other Embassies to push Uzbekistan to develop and implement a National Action Plan to Combat Torture.

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on (a) the standard of human rights and (b) the democratic process in Uzbekistan. [132554]

Mr. Rammell: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Truro and St. Austell (Matthew Taylor) on 20 June 2003, Official Report, column 437W.

Since then, I raised human rights issues with the Uzbek Ambassador on 8 October, urging the Uzbek authorities to implement the UN Special Rapporteur for Torture's recommendations immediately. Bilaterally, and through the EU and the OSCE, we shall continue to press Uzbekistan to take greater steps towards democratisation and respect for human rights. We stand ready to assist Uzbekistan develop and implement its action plan to combat torture. While we welcome the Uzbek government's verbal and written commitments on human rights issues, we shall continue to press for tangible improvements and evidence of institutional reform.

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the reasons are for the recall of the British Ambassador to Uzbekistan; what representations he has received on the early return of the Ambassador; when the Ambassador will return to Tashkent; and if he will make a statement. [132555]

Mr. Rammell: Her Majesty's Ambassador to Uzbekistan is currently in the UK where he has been receiving medical treatment. It would not be right for me to make further public comment on the private circumstances of an individual member of staff.

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