You are here: Parliament home page > Parliamentary business > Publications and Records > Hansard > Commons Debates > Commons Debates by date > Commons Debates - previous sessions > Bound Volume Hansard - Written Answers
Previous Section Index Home Page
6 Dec 2004 : Column 402W—continued

Thailand

Mr. Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the establishment of staff at the British Embassy in Thailand is; how many posts are filled; and how many staff are involved in assisting British tourists needing assistance in Thailand. [201742]

Mr. Alexander: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office currently has 27 UK based and 108 locally engaged staff at our Embassy in Bangkok, Thailand. The section primarily responsible for providing assistance to British nationals comprises one UK based officer and three local staff, one of whom is part-time. The section is supervised by the Consul. The Ambassador and Deputy Head of Mission also spend some of their time on consular policy matters.

Mr. Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions British Embassy staff in Thailand have had with the (a) Prime Minister, (b) Foreign Minister, (c) Chief Prosecutor and (d) Chief of Police of Thailand in relation to the killing of Vanessa Arscott of Ashburton. [201743]

Mr. Mullin: My right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister raised the killings of Vanessa Arscott and Adam Lloyd with the Thai Prime Minister on 7 October. My noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Ministry of Defence (Lord Bach) raised the case with the Thai Foreign Minister on 1 October and our Ambassador to Thailand also raised it with him on 11 November. Our Ambassador also raised the case with the Thai Police Commissioner on 16 November. Our Consul sought clarification on a number of issues associated with the case with the Chief Prosecutor on 25 November. Embassy staff have also had numerous discussions regarding the case with a wide range of
 
6 Dec 2004 : Column 403W
 
police officers and officials in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Interior and Attorney General's Office.

Mr. Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will appoint a specific member of staff in the British Embassy in Thailand to deal with the Vanessa Arscott case. [201745]

Mr. Mullin: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to him today by my hon. Friend the Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Douglas Alexander) (UIN 201742). Our Embassy in Bangkok has a team of UK and locally engaged staff working on this and other consular cases. Our Consul, reporting to the Ambassador and Deputy Head of Mission, is responsible for the specific deployment of their staff.

Ukraine

Mr. Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the impact of the Ukrainian election result on the wider region. [201863]

Mr. MacShane: The Governments and peoples of Ukraine's neighbours will undoubtedly be watching the Ukrainian election closely. However, while events are still evolving, and in the absence of an agreed outcome, it is too early to make an overall assessment of the implications.

Mr. Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the legitimacy of the Ukrainian election result. [201864]


 
6 Dec 2004 : Column 404W
 

Mr. MacShane: I refer the hon. Member to the statement made to the House on 29 November 2004, Official Report, column 359 by my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary

Mr. Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions have taken place between the Government, the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe and the EU regarding the Ukrainian election result. [201865]

Mr. MacShane: On 22 November, the Organisation for Security and Co-operation for Europe's (OSCE) International Election Observation Mission to Ukraine issued its preliminary findings and conclusions on the Ukrainian Election result. The UK with EU partners continues to discuss the election result, and the OSCE's future role in Ukraine, within the OSCE. The UK expects further discussion on Ukraine at the OSCE Ministerial Council on 6 and 7 December in Sofia.

Zimbabwe (UN Resolution)

Mr. Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress is being made with the United Kingdom sponsored resolution on Zimbabwe in the United Nations; and in which institution of the United Nations it is being tabled. [201123]

Mr. Straw [holding answer 2 December 2004]: Prompted by the UK, the EU tabled a resolution on Zimbabwe at the General Assembly's Third Committee, which covers human rights. It fell on 24 November to a "no action" motion tabled by the African Group. Following the result of the vote my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Bill Rammell) and our international partners, the EU, USA and Australia, issued statements condemning this block on a proper UN debate on the serious human rights situation in Zimbabwe.