---

5 Apr 2005 : Column 1313W—continued

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Middle East

18. Helen Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action he is encouraging the EU to take to further the middle east peace process. [224401]

Mr. Rammell: We continue to work closely with the EU and other Quartet members on middle east peace process issues. The Commission and other EU partners attended the London Meeting on 1 March, and have been active in work to follow up that meeting. We will
 
5 Apr 2005 : Column 1314W
 
continue to support the work of the Commission, along with the World Bank and US, in their efforts to assist the Palestinian Authority implement its programme of reforms.

Ms Munn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the transfer of Palestinian towns to the control of the Palestinian authorities. [224406]

Mr. Rammell: The transfer of five West Bank cities to Palestinian Authority control is progressing as agreed at Sharm al-Sheikh. The handover of Jericho took place on 16 March, and that of Tulkarem on 21 March. We welcome the transfers and the improved security cooperation between the Israelis and Palestinians.

23. Martin Linton: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Israeli Prime Minister concerning the expansion of settlements on the West Bank. [224407]

Mr. Rammell: We have frequently made clear to the Israeli Government our view that settlements are illegal under international law. The roadmap requires that Israel freeze settlement expansion and dismantle outposts erected since March 2001. My noble Friend Baroness Symons made representations on this issue to the Israeli ambassador on 23 March.

Darfur

Rev. Martin Smyth: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the impact of the continuing conflict in Darfur on the North-South Sudanese peace deal. [224408]

Mr. Mullin: Full implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) is vital for peace in the whole of Sudan, including Darfur. However, the full benefits of a peace dividend for Sudan, including progress on debt relief, will not be realised until the conflict in Darfur is resolved. We are therefore pressing the parties in Darfur to negotiate a political settlement, consistent with the CPA.

Mr. Dawson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to persuade the Government of Sudan to allow access to conflict-affected populations in Darfur by non-governmental organisations and human rights organisations. [224346]

Mr. Mullin: We regularly discuss with both the Government of Sudan and the rebels the importance of access for all non-governmental organisations throughout Darfur. Our Ambassador raised this matter with the Government on 21 March and I discussed this with the Secretary General of the Sudanese Liberation Movement on 22 March. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary secured access for human rights groups, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, in August 2004. Lack of security is the key factor hampering access throughout Darfur. We have made it clear to the Government and the rebels that they must abide by their commitments under Abuja humanitarian and security protocols and improve the situation in Darfur.
 
5 Apr 2005 : Column 1315W
 

Anti-Semitism

Linda Perham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on Government-funded monitoring of anti-Semitic incitement in (a) the Middle East and (b) Eastern Europe. [224122]

Mr. Rammell: The UK is committed to tackling discrimination and intolerance, including anti-Semitism. Incitement against any community may result in an increase in racial, religious or national tension.

As part of its efforts to combat incitement, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office is funding a project with the NGO index on censorship and BBC monitoring, to monitor incidents where the media has been either inciting conflict or raising tension, including on anti-Semitic grounds. The project, which began in 2004 and is expected to run for four years, focuses on four regions, including Eastern Europe and the Middle East.

The outputs of the monitoring can serve as early warning of increasing tensions in a given region; and to highlight areas where action is needed by Governments or civil society to tackle hate speech and incitement.

Linda Perham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has made regarding anti-Semitic incitement to the Governments of (a) Iran, (b) Lebanon, (c) Syria and (d) Egypt. [224127]

Mr. Rammell: We remain deeply concerned at continuing anti-Israel and anti-Semitic rhetoric from senior figures in the Iranian regime. Senior UK officials discussed this most recently with representatives of Iran's Supreme National Security Council on 2 February 2005. We have also pressed the Iranian authorities on many occasions to address international concerns about Iran's links to groups undermining the Middle East Peace Process through violence.

We have raised the issue of anti-Semitism with the Lebanese, Syrian and Egyptian authorities in the past, but have not had occasion to do so recently.

Botswana

Donald Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations the high commission in Gaborone has made to the Botswanan authorities concerning the threatened deportation of Professor Ken Good; and if he will make a statement on (a) academic freedom and (b) respect for human rights in Botswana. [218980]

Mr. Mullin: Professor Good is an Australian national; as such, consular assistance is being provided by the Australian high commission in Pretoria. It is not our practice to offer consular assistance to foreign nationals.

We have made clear to the authorities in Botswana, through our high commission in Gaborone, the importance that we attach to academic freedom and respect for human rights.
 
5 Apr 2005 : Column 1316W
 

Correspondence

Clare Short: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he will reply to the letter from the right hon. Member for Birmingham, Ladywood of 21 February concerning refusal of a visit visa to Miss Sinclair Deona Marie, Case Ref KGN 64392. [223855]

Mr. Mullin: A reply to my right hon. Friend will be sent shortly. I apologise for the delay.

Cote d'Ivoire

Mr. Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with (a) the UN and (b) France regarding (i) the security situation in Co(r)te d'Ivoire and (ii) the long-term strength of UN and French peacekeeping forces stationed there. [224486]

Mr. Mullin: The UN Security Council discussed the situation in Co(r)te d'Ivoire on 28 March, including the UN Secretary-General's proposal to reinforce the UN mission there. Council members are now discussing the renewal of the mandates of the UN and French forces in Co(r)te d'Ivoire. We remain in close touch with our French counterparts in Paris, New York and Abidjan and with the UN Secretariat in New York about the security situation and the future mandates of the UN and French forces.

Cotonou Agreement

Mr. Gill: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreignand Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the proposed inclusion of weapons of mass destruction clauses in the Cotonou agreements between the EU and African, Caribbean and Pacific states. [223943]

Mr. MacShane: The Cotonou Agreement covers many aspects of the EU's relationship with the ACP group—trade, aid and political dialogue. The EU has agreed that such mixed agreements should reflect our common interest in non-proliferation of WMD as an issue of political dialogue. The EU has told the African, Caribbean and Pacific states (ACP) that

financial and technical assistance in the area of counter proliferation of WMD will be financed from instruments other than those intended for the financing of ACP-EC cooperation"

i.e. not from the European Development Fund or other EC thematic development lines.

---