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FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Cyprus

Mr. Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment his Department has made of the fairness of the recent parliamentary elections in Turkish Cyprus; and if he will make a statement. [147106]

Mr. Straw: The 14 December elections to the "Assembly" of the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus", although not officially recognised, were an important opportunity for the Turkish Cypriot people to express their views on the island's future. A small team of academics from the University of Oslo carried out an independent study of the elections and the pre-electoral period. They noted some serious concerns about the manner in which the campaign was conducted. Lack of impartiality in the media was one area highlighted. The final report from the University of Oslo team is expected within the next month.

We too have noted the widespread concerns expressed by many Turkish Cypriots about the way the campaign was conducted. There were numerous reports of intimidation and also of rigging of the electoral register. I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer my hon. Friend the Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Mr. MacShane) gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Hendon (Mr. Dismore) on 17 November 2003, Official Report, columns 657–58W.

As far as we are aware, elections on the day were conducted in a fair and open manner. We welcome the fact that notwithstanding these concerns about the

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campaign, the majority of the population in the north of Cyprus voted for candidates committed to a solution to the Cyprus problem. We encourage all sides to work now for a settlement to the Cyprus problem based on the UN Secretary General's proposals (the Annan Plan) by 1 May.

HGV Drivers (Detention)

Mr. Challen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many British heavy goods vehicle drivers are held in prisons in EU countries, broken down by country. [146961]

Mr. Mullin: The following is a breakdown of the number of British lorry drivers that the Foreign and Commonwealth Office have been made aware of held in detention in each European Union country as of 8 January 2004:

	Number
France	60
Belgium	9
Spain	4
Italy	1
Germany	1
Sweden	1
Netherlands	0
Luxemburg	0
Denmark	0
Portugal	0
Greece	0
Austria	0
Ireland	0
Finland	0

Intergovernmental Conference

Mr. Heathcoat-Amory: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether all member states agreed to the Intergovernmental Conference Final Declaration issued by the Italian Presidency. [146951]

Mr. MacShane: The Declaration on the Intergovernmental Conference was concluded on the Presidency's own authority and annexed to the European Council Conclusions. The main elements of it were, however, presented to the European Council before it concluded on 13 December 2003.

International Treaties

Mr. Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will name the judicial body and its treaty or other international basis empowered to adjudicate and provide interpretations and judgments concerning (a) the international treaties comprising the core structure and operation of the principal Treaties of the European Community and Union and (b) a formal European Constitution, once agreed, ratified and operative, similar to that under current consideration. [146976]

Mr. MacShane: The European Court of Justice (ECJ) and the Court of First Instance, each within its own jurisdiction, ensure that the law is observed in the interpretation and application of the European Community Treaty, under the terms of its Article 220.

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The powers of the ECJ in respect of the Treaty on European Union are set out in that Treaty's Article 46. The ECJ would be responsible for ensuring respect for the law in the interpretation and application of the Constitutional Treaty (draft Article 1.28 (1)).

Libya

Mr. Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what discussions he has had with his (a) Libyan and (b) German counterparts concerning the seizure of the German-flagged ship BBC China; [146839]

(2) what part was played by British officials in the recent tracking and seizure of the German-flagged ship BBC China. [146840]

Mr. Straw [holding answer 12 January 2004]: It is our policy to co-operate with our allies in seeking to take action against the transport of goods which could contribute to the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. The UK is an active participant in the Proliferation Security Initiative designed to improve international co-ordination in this area. I am withholding further information under exemption 1 of Part 2 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

Mr. Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he expects that talks will be held with Libya about ending its programme for the development of weapons of mass destruction; which other countries he expects will be involved; and what role the International Atomic Energy Agency will play in the talks. [147071]

Mr. MacShane [holding answer 12 January 2004]: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has invited Libyan Foreign Minister Shalgam to visit London soon to discuss a range of bilateral and international issues. This will form part of the process of implementing the decision by Libya to dismantle its weapons of mass destruction programmes. Britain and the United States will now be taking forward the practical issues of verification and of the dismantling of these weapons in partnership with Libya and with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and Organisation for Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW).

We have committed ourselves to helping with the preparation of Libya's returns to the IAEA and OPCW and to helping dismantle the programmes Libya has agreed to destroy. Within their respective remits, the responsibility for verifying Libya's declarations lies with the IAEA and the OPCW, and it is for the Libyan authorities to inform these organisations about the details of their programmes. Declarations, as always in these areas, will need to be detailed and comprehensive.

Mr. Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) from which country the BBC China set sail with the cargo of uranium enrichment equipment seized in Italian territorial waters in October 2003; and in which country the equipment was made; [147379]

(2) what happened to the cargo seized from the BBC China in Italy in October 2003. [147380]

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Mr. Straw: I refer the right hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave him today (UIN146839 & 146840).

Mr. Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what role Mr. Nelson Mandela played in the recent change in relations between Libya and the United States and the United Kingdom. [147410]

Mr. Straw: Mr. Mandela had no involvement in the recent discussions on Libya's weapons programme. These discussions only involved officials and experts from Libya, the United States and the United Kingdom.

Schengen Agreement

Mr. Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what parts of the Schengen acquis the United Kingdom has applied to participate in since 1997; and if he will make a statement. [145585]

Caroline Flint: I have been asked to reply.

In March 1999, the United Kingdom applied to participate in those parts of the Schengen acquis which relate to police and judicial co-operation, co-operation against drug trafficking and illegal immigration. The UK also applied to participate in the related provisions of the Schengen Information System. My right hon. Friend the then Home Secretary (Jack Straw) made a statement to Parliament on 12 March 1999 setting out this proposed partial participation in Schengen.

The United Kingdom's partial participation in Schengen was agreed by the JHA Council in its Decision of 29 May 2000 (Decision number 2000/365/EC). There has been no further application by the United Kingdom.

Sudan

Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the Government of Sudan on its treatment of students who support Sudan Organisation Against Torture. [147408]

Mr. Mullin: Our embassy in Khartoum has raised the issue with the Government of Sudan who have acknowledged our concerns and have undertaken to look into the cases and report back to us.

Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Government of Sudan on the recent arrests in Nyala, Sudan; and if he will make a statement. [147409]

Mr. Mullin: Our embassy in Khartoum has raised the issue with the Government of Sudan who have acknowledged our concerns and have undertaken to look into the cases and report back to us.

I discussed the human rights situation in Sudan generally, and in Darfur more specifically, with the Sudanese Ambassador on 2 December 2003. And my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for International Development (Hilary Benn) raised our concerns with the President of Sudan on 10 December 2003.

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