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Intergovernmental Conference

Mr. Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was agreed at the Intergovernmental Conference meeting at Naples of 28 to 29 November; and if he will make a statement. [142014]

Mr. MacShane: No decisions were taken or formal agreements made at the Intergovernmental Conference meeting in Naples. The meeting, on which my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary provided a detailed briefing at the Standing Committee on the IGC on 1 December, discussed a paper presented by the Presidency (CIG 52/1/03), copies of which are in the Libraries of the House. The discussions were positive and constructive. They will continue at Foreign Minister level on 8 December and at the level of Heads of State or Government at the European Council on 12–13 December.

Any agreement will be made by unanimity, on the basis of a complete package.

Iran

Mr. Pope: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of Iran's ability to use its nuclear power programme for military purposes. [140935]

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Mr. MacShane: The technology which Iran has been seeking to develop at its nuclear facilities would enable them to produce fissile material, which can be used in the production of nuclear weapons.

Mr. Woodward: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps the Government will take to ensure that Iran complies with its promises to the UK, French and German Foreign Ministers on nuclear issues. [141285]

Mr. MacShane: All of the elements promised in the Tehran Declaration are incorporated in the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Board of Governors' resolution adopted on 26 November. The primary responsibility for ensuring Iran's compliance with terms of the resolution lies with the IAEA, which will report periodically to the Board of Governors on progress made. We will monitor this progress closely through our membership of the Board of Governors.

Mr. Woodward: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the steps Iran has taken in its undertakings to the UK, French and German Foreign Ministers on nuclear issues; and what steps remain to be taken. [141286]

Mr. MacShane: In the Tehran Declaration of 21 October, which was the result of the visit to Tehran by my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary with his French and German colleagues, Iran undertook to sign an Additional Protocol to its nuclear safeguards agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); to cooperate fully with inspectors from the Agency; and announced that it would suspend the enrichment of uranium and fuel reprocessing activities. All of these undertakings were subsequently included in a resolution adopted by the IAEA Board of Governors on 26 November. Monitoring of progress on these undertakings is rightly the responsibility of the IAEA, which will report periodically to the Board of Governors.

Iraq

Mr. Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate he has made of the revenues which derived from sales of Iraqi oil in each month since April; and if he will make a statement. [141175]

Mr. Straw [holding answer 8 December 2003]: Total revenue from Iraqi oil sales paid into the Development Fund for Iraq since exports restarted in June until 26 November amounted to $2.479 billion.

Mr. Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the (a) income and (b) expenditure of the Coalition Provisional Authority in Iraq was in each month since April; how much was spent by (i) amount and (ii) percentage in each sector; and if he will make a statement. [141176]

Mr. Straw [holding answer 8 December 2003]: Monthly income and expenditure data for the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) is not published and, as in the UK, nor is expenditures by sector.

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However, a Financial Management Information System is being implemented by the CPA to build capacity and move Iraq from a paper-based budgeting system to a real time expenditure system.

CPA income is derived from bilateral donations (such as US Congressional appropriations), from the sale of oil revenues, the transfer of Iraq's overseas assets, the seizure of assets from the former regime within Iraq, the transfer of remaining Oil For Food moneys from the UN Escrow account, and, under the CPA's usufructuary power, any revenues derived from Iraq's State Owned Enterprises and tax revenues. These revenue streams are accountable to different bodies, and a monthly consolidated single income account is not published. Total income data and forecasts are published in the annual Budget produced by the Iraqi Ministry of Finance and CPA.

Expenditure is determined by an annual budget process and is executed and published by economic activity undertaken in each Ministry rather than by sector.

The 2003 and 2004 Budgets are available on the CPA website (www.cpa-iraq.org). Cumulative income and expenditure totals for the Development Fund for Iraq (which includes the following elements of the CPA's income: oil revenues, transferred assets and Oil For Food monies) are also published on the CPA website.

Mr. Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs who is responsible for preparing the accounts of the Coalition Provisional Authority in Iraq; to whom it reports; and if he will make a statement. [141177]

Mr. Straw [holding answer 3 December 2003]: CPA accounts are prepared by officials of the CPA. The International Auditing and Monitoring Board (IAMB), established under UNSCR 1483 and comprising senior members of the UN, World Bank, IMF and Arab Fund for Social and Economic Development, is responsible for auditing the accounts of the Development Fund for Iraq. The IAMB members will appoint a firm of international auditors to act on their behalf in undertaking this responsibility.

Israel

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of discussions over the last month between the European Union and Israel concerning the labelling of goods exported to the EU which originate from settlements established in territories occupied by Israel; and what progress has been made in providing for such products to be accurately marked with their point of origin. [142247]

Mr. MacShane: The Government welcome the discussion between the European Commission and Israel concerning the origin of goods exported to the EU as Israeli and originating in the Occupied Territories. The Government understand that the European Commission has asked the Israeli authorities for more details on their proposals, which have not yet been put in writing. The Government will examine carefully the proposals, and the Commission's assessment of them, once we have fuller details.

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Ivory Coast

Mr. Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations his Department has made to the (a) Ivory Coast Government and (b) other involved parties with regard to honouring commitments set out in the January peace accord. [141813]

Mr. Mullin: The UK fully supports the Linas Marcoussis Agreement (LMA) as the basis for sustainable peace in Côte d'Ivoire. Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials use regular contacts with members of the government of Côte d'Ivoire, and with other parties to the agreement, to encourage early progress on its implementation. We have been concerned at the fragility of the peace process since September, and have joined the wider international community in urging all parties to continue to respect the ceasefire; to restore full meeting of the government of National Reconciliation; and to make swift progress on the LMA, including disarmament and demobilisation.

Turkey

Mr. Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether his Department received requests from (a) the US Administration, (b) the Turkish Government and (c) staff working in the British Consulate in Istanbul for British staff to move buildings in light of an increased risk from terrorism in the period between April and November. [140867]

Mr. Straw [holding answer 4 December 2003]: The FCO has not received any requests from the US Administration or the Turkish Government for the British Consulate General to move buildings.

The security managers at the Consulate-General at Istanbul regularly briefed all staff on security matters. Staff were kept aware of changes to the State of Vigilance and of any additional security measures put in place.

Mr. Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action his Department took to ensure the security of British citizens (a) on holiday and (b) living in Turkey following (i) the explosions outside branches of HSBC in Istanbul on 31 May, (ii) the explosion at the Visa Section of the British Consulate-General in Istanbul on 3 April and (iii) the explosion of three devices in Izmir on 8 April. [140832]

Mr. Straw: After each incident the FCO changed its travel advice to reflect its best assessment of the situation at the time. Details of travel advice changes are passed through the warden network to the British community.

I refer the right hon. and learned Gentleman to the answer I gave him today on details of changes to the travel advice for the three incidents.

Mr. Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations his Department received from representatives of the British Consulate in Istanbul regarding the level of security provided at the temporary accommodation in which staff worked during the period between 2001 and 2003. [140833]

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Mr. Straw: Staff at the Consulate-General were in regular contact with this Department about security at the Post, including the security provided at the temporary accommodation. This accommodation was due to be vacated when the refurbishment of the main building was completed in early 2004.

Mr. Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what travel advice was issued by his Department following (a) the explosions outside branches of HSBC in Istanbul on 31 May, (b) the explosion at the Visa Section of the British Consulate-General in Istanbul on 3 April and (c) the explosion of three devices in Izmir on 8 April. [140834]

Mr. Straw: Before the explosion outside the Visa Section of our Consulate-General in Istanbul on 3 April the headline message ("Summary") of the travel advice stated:

"The vast majority of visits to Turkey are trouble-free. Turkey is one of a number of countries where there is an increased risk from international terrorism. There is also a risk from domestic terrorism (one group in Turkey has, in the past, carried out attacks to mark anniversaries in April)."

Following the explosion the travel advice was amended to include the following reference to the attack:

"On 3 April an explosion occurred at the Visa Section of the British Consulate-General, causing minor material damage, but no casualties."

Following the attacks in Izmir the travel advice was amended again with the following reference added:

"On the evening of 8 April, three small devices exploded in Izmir, one of which was near the British Consulate. There were no casualties and no significant damage."

Before the attacks on HSBC on 31 May the Summary of the travel advice was amended to underline the need to be vigilant in Turkey:

"The vast majority of visits to Turkey are trouble-free, but there is a continuing risk from domestic terrorism following a number of recent incidents (see below). Turkey is also one of a number of countries where there is an increased risk from international terrorism. We urge you to be vigilant in all parts of Turkey."

After the attacks on HSBC, the travel advice was again changed with factual reference to the attack:

"In the early hours of 31 May there were small explosions outside two separate branches of H.S.B.C. in Istanbul"

Copies of the travel advice referred to here will be placed in the Library of the House.

In the period 1 April to 20 November, the FCO updated its travel advice for Turkey 30 times.

Mr. Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) whether discussions were held between his Department and (a) the US Administration, (b) the Turkish Government and (c) staff working in the British consulate in Istanbul regarding a need for British staff to move building in light of the increased risk from terrorism in the period between April and November; [140835]

(2) what discussions his Department had with US counterparts regarding the security threat in Istanbul in the period between April and November; whether the decision by the US Administration to move its staff during that period was discussed; whether the possibility

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of the British Government taking a similar decision was discussed; and what the outcome was of the discussions. [140836]

Mr. Straw: The FCO and relevant agencies maintain regular contact with their US counterparts on security and threat-related issues. In addition consular officials speak daily to the State Department to exchange information on travel advice changes, which includes threats to UK and US citizens overseas.

Staff at the consulate-general had regular discussions of security-related issues with their US counterparts in Istanbul and with the Turkish Government during the period April to November. These discussions focussed on the security of the consulate-general building rather than on moving to another building.

Following the attack on the visa section at the consulate-general on 3 April 2003, the visa section remained closed for two days. Discussions were held with the Turkish authorities on increasing security for the visa section.

The security manager at the consulate-general Istanbul regularly briefed staff on security measures. Staff were also kept aware of changes in the state of vigilance. Staff were due to move back to Pera House (the main building) in February 2004.

Mr. Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions his Department has had with representatives of the British consulate in Istanbul regarding security following (a) the explosions outside branches of HSBC in Istanbul on 31 May, (b) the explosion at the visa section of the British consulate-general in Istanbul on 3 April and (c) the explosion of three devices in Izmir on 8 April. [140868]

Mr. Straw: There is continual dialogue between those in the FCO responsible for security and our overseas posts, including the consulate-general in Istanbul. This was naturally particularly intense following each of the explosions mentioned. Security measures were reviewed and additional Turkish police guards were deployed at Izmir and Istanbul.

Security managers at the consulate-general at Istanbul regularly briefed all staff on security measures and kept them aware of changes in the state of vigilance. Staff were briefed after the three terrorist incidents which occurred in April and May this year.

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