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11 Nov 2003 : Column 201W—continued
North Korea
18. Mr. Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on measures to contain North Korea's nuclear programme. [137414]
Mr. Rammell: We remain active in support of the six party talks process, begun in Beijing in August, the agreed objective of which is the denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula.
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions (a) his Department and (b) the Government have had with representatives and members of the governments of (i) EU member states, (ii) Russia, (iii) the USA, (iv) Japan and (v) China concerning (A) North Korea and (B) planned diplomatic initiatives on the North Korea nuclear programme; and if he will make a statement. [136930]
Mr. Rammell: We regularly discuss North Korea's nuclear programmes with EU partners, Russia, the US, Japan and China, both at ministerial and official level. Our discussions with these countries reflect an encouraging and wide-ranging commitment to the six-party talks process, and to the objectives of a nuclear-free Korean peninsula and the peaceful resolution of the North Korea nuclear issue.
Roma (EU Applicant Countries)
19. Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last discussed with EU applicant countries progress towards ensuring equal rights for the Roma communities in those countries. [137415]
Mr. MacShane: We regularly raise the importance of equal rights for Roma and other minority groups with these countries, mainly through our Embassies, as does the Commission in its monitoring reports, Association Committees and pre-accession programmes. Details of FCO project work on Roma communities are included in the FCO human rights annual report. We also participate with EU applicant countries in discussions in the OSCE and Council of Europe on Roma rights.
Bulgaria
20. Mr. Barron: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with Bulgarian Ministers. [137416]
Mr. MacShane: The Foreign Secretary most recently met Bulgarian Foreign Minister Solomon Passy on 6 November in London. They discussed a range of bilateral and EU-related issues. They also have frequent contact in the margins of multilateral meetings, such as the IGC or NATO Ministerials.
Iran
21. Mr. MacDougall: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what further joint initiatives with the French and German foreign ministers he will undertake with respect to Iran. [137417]
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Mr. Rammell: We will continue to work with like-minded governments in any combination required to impress on Iran the need to co-operate fully with the International Atomic Energy Agency and rebuild trust in its intentions. Following the visit to Tehran last month by my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary and his French and German counterparts, the onus now lies with Iran to deliver on its commitments. We are also calling on Iran to address international concerns on human rights, international terrorism and support for the Middle East Peace Process.
Baker Plan
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with (a) the UN, (b) the USA and (c) the EU on the use of sanctions if Morocco refuses to meet its commitments under the Baker Plan. [136007]
Controlled Goods
Mr. Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what efforts he has made since 27 February to research in greater detail the US systems of end-use monitoring of exports of controlled goods; and if he will make a statement. [136293]
Mr. MacShane: Officials in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office have been researching the United States system of end-use monitoring, and will be informing Ministers of their findings in the near future.
Democratic Republic of Congo
Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has held with the Governments of (a) Uganda, (b) Rwanda and (c) Burundi concerning hostilities in the Democratic Republic of Congo; and if he will make a statement. [136509]
Mr. Mullin: From the outset of the conflict Ministers and officials have used every opportunity to discuss the conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) with the governments in the region. We have worked with our UN and EU partners to promote restoration of peace and stability in the region. We are encouraged by the progress made since the installation of the Transitional National Government in Kinshasa earlier this year and by the recent efforts by the countries concerned to improve relations with the DRC.
Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions have been held with UN officials on the use of child soldiers in the conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo; and if he will make a statement on UK policy. [136510]
Mr. Mullin: The UK condemns the use of child soldiers. The fourth report of the UN Secretary-General on the use of children in armed conflict is due shortly and this will lead to a debate on this issue in the UN Security Council in the next few months. The UK discusses the issue with a range of UN bodies, particularly the Special Representative on Children in Armed Conflict, and works with the UN system to
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eradicate the use of child soldiers, including support through the Department for International Development for a UNICEF programme of capacity building to strengthen its response in emergency situations. A key element of this programme is improving its advocacy on the situation of children affected by armed conflict at all levels.
Within the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), a number of child protection advisers have been deployed as an integral part of the ongoing UN mission there. The UK supports UN projects in the DRC such as disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration of ex-combatants, including child soldiers.
Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the political groupings in the Democratic Republic of Congo concerning a peace process to end current hostilities. [136531]
Mr. Mullin: Since the outbreak of the conflict in 1998 the UK has put its weight behind regional peace initiatives, maintaining a dialogue with all the main belligerents in the conflict to urge them to bring about a negotiated settlement. The Agreements signed in Lusaka (August 1999) and Pretoria Agreement (July 2002), and the Global and Inclusive Accord (December 2002) laid the foundation for the establishment of a transitional government in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Now that this is in place the UK continues its dialogue with the parties, including as a member of the Kinshasa-based International Committee of Support to the Transition.
The UK also supports efforts to bring an end to conflict in the Ituri region of north-eastern DRC. This has included through our contribution to the EU-led Operation Artemis and financial and other support to the Interim Ituri Administration.
East Timor
Mr. Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the visit of President Xanana Gusmao of East Timor to the UK; and what issues were discussed. [136199]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: The Government were delighted to welcome President Xanana Gusmao to the UK on a guest of Government visit. President Xanana Gusmao has played a pivotal role, not only in his country's struggle for independence, but also in promoting post-conflict reconciliation and a better future for his people. The President had an audience with HM The Queen, and meetings with my right hon. Friends the Foreign Secretary, Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (Mr. Paul Murphy) and Minister of State at the Ministry of Defence (Mr. Ingram), and my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department for International Development (Mr. Gareth Thomas). I also had a meeting with President Gusmao during which he expressed his gratitude for the UK's assistance to East Timor since 1999 and asked that the UK continue to remain engaged in assisting East Timor. The President also visited Northern Ireland to learn about reconciliation efforts there.
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European Constitution
Mr. Nicholas Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what impact he estimates the draft European Union constitution will have on the United Kingdom energy sector; and what changes are proposed to the present regulatory position. [136094]
Mr. MacShane: Article 111–130 (2)(c) provides for voting by unanimity on "measures significantly affecting a member state's choice between different energy sources and the general structure of its energy supply". The Government have made a legal assessment of the potential impact of the draft Constitutional Treaty on UK powers to regulate the energy sector. Article 111–157 of the draft EU Constitutional Treaty states the policy on energy shall aim to:
- (a) ensure the functioning of the energy market;
(b) ensure security of energy supply in the Union; and
(c) promote energy efficiency and saving and the development of new and renewable forms of energy.
Under the Treaty establishing the European Community, there is already Union activity in energy matters and we believe there is a strong case for making the legal base for policy in this area more transparent. The UK support the opening up of the European energy market which benefits British energy firms. The UK Government would not agree to any proposal that was inconsistent with UK energy interests.
Mr. Cash: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had since the start of the Inter-Governmental Conference with the Foreign Ministers of (a) Denmark, (b) Italy and (c) Germany relating to the primacy, under Article 110 of the draft European Constitution, of the European Constitution over their own respective constitutions; if he will urge those ministers to hold discussions on the matter with the judges of their respective constitutional courts; and if he will make a statement. [137901]
Mr. MacShane: We have discussed the wording of Article 1–10 with all our EU partners, as part of our ongoing discussions on the IGC. It is for them to decide what advice to seek.
Mr. Cash: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will place in the Library a copy of the draft of the Protocol relating to the succession of rights and obligations which it is proposed should be annexed to the European Constitution. [137902]
Mr. MacShane: There is no such Protocol. The current proposal is for legal continuity in relation to the European Community and the European Union to be covered in Part IV of the Constitutional Treaty. The Convention on the Future of Europe's draft was laid before Parliament in August as Command Paper 5897.
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