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China

Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the Chinese Government on the subject of discrimination against religious minorities, with particular reference to Christians. [198069]

Mr. Rammell: I raised the ratification of the International Covenant of Civil and Political Rights with the Foreign Minister Zhang Yesui during my visit to China in July. We have made clear that harassment of religious groups is unacceptable and not in keeping with the provisions of the International Covenant.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials raised several concerns about religious freedom in China with Wang Zuo'an, Deputy Director General for the State Administration for Religious Affairs, during the latter's visit to the UK in September.

We also discuss human rights issues in depth during our biannual UK/China Human Rights Dialogue.

Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Chinese authorities on their policy of repatriating North Korean refugees; and if he will urge them to admit the UNHCR to the border area between the two countries. [198072]

Mr. Rammell: I personally raised this issue with Vice Foreign Minister Zhang Yesui during my visit to China in July.
 
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We also raise the issue of North Korean asylum seekers in China during our biannual UK/China Human Rights Dialogue, the last round of which was held in May. We continue to urge the Chinese to observe their obligations under the 1951 convention and allow the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees access to the China/North Korea border region.

Mr. Wilkinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to the Foreign Ministers of other European Union countries for the maintaining of the EU's embargo on the sale of armaments to the People's Republic of China. [198881]

Mr. Rammell: The Government supports the decision of the European Council in December 2003 to review the EU Arms Embargo on China. This review is on-going—it was last discussed by EU Foreign Ministers at the 11 October General Affairs and External Relations Council. The Government does not wish to exclude any options for the review, nor to pre-empt the conclusion of the review.

The Government continues to implement the Arms Embargo as set out by the then Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the late Derek Fatchett, in his reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Gedling (Vernon Coaker) on 3 June 1998, Official Report, columns 240–41.

Correspondence

Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he will reply to correspondence from the hon. Member for Hull, North regarding Mr. Ken Bigley. [197129]

Mr. Rammell: My right hon. Friend the Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean replied on 5 November 2004.

Côte d'Ivoire

Mr. Martyn Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of recent progress in delivering peace and political stability in Côte d'Ivoire. [198777]

Mr. Mullin: The situation in Côte d'Ivoire remains volatile and the immediate future is uncertain.

We remain convinced that a political solution remains the best way forward for the country. We therefore welcome the efforts of the African Union to bring about a political settlement at the Abuja summit of 14 November. We also welcome the unanimous adoption of UN Security Council 1572 on 15 November, which, among other things, urges all sides including President Gbagbo to begin implementing immediately all the commitments they have made.

Dr. Amer Al-Saddi

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has received in respect of the detention of Dr. Amer Al-Saddi, the former scientific adviser to the Iraqi Government, by the United States; and whether he has
 
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asked his United States counterpart why former Iraqi officials held in detention by the United States have not been charged or released. [194874]

Mr. Rammell: I cannot provide details on individuals held by the United States. Dr. Amer Al-Saddi's case will be reviewed by the Detainee Review Committee in the same way as all other cases.

Equatorial Guinea

Mr Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what contingency plans were drawn up by his Department (a) unilaterally, (b) with other Government departments and (c) with other foreign countries, for the evacuation of British nationals and others from Equatorial Guinea immediately prior to the attempted coup earlier this year; [198219]

(2) pursuant to his answer of 9 November 2004, Official Report, column 631W, when his Department informed the authorities in Equatorial Guinea of the alleged coup plot; [198227]

(3) pursuant to his answer of 9 November 2004, Official Report, column 631W, what information on the attempted coup plot was made available to his Department; and if he will make a statement. [198228]

Mr. Straw: In late January 2004 reports of a coup plot were circulating in the media. The first media report of which officials were aware was in the Spanish newspaper El Mundo on 30 January. At the same time similar allegations were contained in confidential information received by the Government. In accordance with exemption 1(c) of Part 2 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information, we do not provide details of confidential diplomatic exchanges.

We were sceptical about the reports, as there had been a number of coup rumours in the media previously, including October 2003. In so far as we could, given the sources of our report, we attempted to establish whether there was any more truth to this particular allegation. We took action to try to establish whether any UK companies were involved and to underline our opposition to involvement by any UK company in such activities. As we were not able to establish any definitive evidence which could add significantly to the reports which had already appeared in the media we took no further action with other African governments. But we did review and update our civil contingency plan.

It has been the consistent policy of Her Majesty's Government never to condone or to support the actions of those who seek to overthrow sovereign governments by military coup or any other undemocratic means.

EU (Applicant States)

Mr. Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether it is his Department's policy that all applicant countries for EU membership should recognise all existing member states. [198632]

Mr. MacShane: Article 49 of the Treaty on European Union provides that any European state which respects the EU's fundamental principles can apply for membership. The European Council set out the criteria
 
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for membership at its meeting in Copenhagen in 1993. Of these, the political criteria must be met before starting negotiations. There is no requirement on applicant countries which relates to recognition, but it is inconceivable that an applicant country could become an EU member state without normal diplomatic relations with other EU member states.

European Court of Justice

Mr. Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the procedure is for resolution of disputes regarding EU association agreements; and what the role of the European Court of Justice is. [198631]

Mr. MacShane: Disputes regarding association agreements may arise in several ways. Disputes between the EC and its member states on the one hand and the other party or parties to the agreement on the other will typically be addressed within the institutional framework established by the agreement. This will usually include an Association Council and a Committee of Ministers.

Disputes among the EC member states or between them and the Commission will usually be addressed within the Council at working group level, at the Permanent Representatives Council (COREPER) or if necessary in the Council itself.

The European Court of Justice may have jurisdiction in relation to a dispute concerning an association agreement. This will depend on the nature of the dispute and the parties involved. In the past the Court has, for example, often been asked to interpret provisions of association agreements under the procedure in Article 234 TEC (Treaty establishing the European Community). Article 234 TEC states that "The Court of Justice shall have jurisdiction to give preliminary rulings concerning:

(a) the interpretation of this Treaty;

(b) the validity and interpretation of acts of the institutions of the Community and of the European Central Bank;

(c) the interpretation of the statutes of bodies established by an act of the Council, where those statutes so provide.

Where such a question is raised by any court or tribunal of a member state, that court or tribunal may. if it considers that a question is necessary to enable it to give judgement, request the Court of Justice to give a ruling thereon."

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