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5 Apr 2005 : Column 1321W—continued
European Council
Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the European Council has taken decisions by majority vote since 1997. [224640]
Free Press
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his Department's policy is on the promotion of a free press overseas. [224687]
Mr. Rammell: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) continues to work both bilaterally and with our international partners to promote freedom of expression. We do this through lobbying on individual cases and wider human rights issues, and through projects supported through the Global Opportunities Fund.
The FCO's Freedom of Expression Panel, which I chair, includes representatives of NGOs, academic experts and legal and media professionals. It meets regularly to provide expert advice and guidance to the FCO. The panel has sub-groups working on hate speech; safety and risk management for media professionals; public sector broadcasting laws and imprisoned journalists/writers. Further details of FCO
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work on this subject can be found in the FCO's Annual Report on Human Rights 2004 (Command Paper Cm 6364), a copy of which is available in the Library of the House, and which can be found on the FCO website, www.fco.gov.uk.
Galileo Navigation System
Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the United States Administration regarding the European Union's Galileo navigation system. [223951]
Mr. MacShane: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has had no discussions with the US Administration regarding Galileo. However officials from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and other Government Departments are regularly in touch with their US counterparts on Galileo—contacts were particularly frequent in the run-up to the EU-US Agreement on Galileo of June last year. The Department for Transport is the lead Government Department for Galileo.
Iran
Sir Teddy Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on relations with Iran. [224404]
Mr. Rammell: Our policy towards Iran remains one of constructive, but critical and conditional, engagement. The European Union has made clear that the development of its relations with Iran is possible only on the basis of action by Iran to address political concerns, in areas such as its nuclear programme, human rights record, approach to terrorism, and attitude to the middle east peace process.
Iraq
Mr. Dalyell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what account was taken of Article 64 of the Fourth Geneva Convention in the appointment of the Iraqi Special Tribunal. [220813]
Mr. Rammell: Article 64 of the Fourth Geneva Convention would not apply to the establishment of the Iraq Special Tribunal (IST) or any appointment of the IST because it was established by the Iraqi Governing Council and not by an Occupying Power. It is part of the Iraqi criminal justice system and comprises of Iraqi judges.
Irish Lights
Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received from the Northern Ireland Office regarding the cessation of payments from the UK General Lighthouse Fund for the provision of navigational aids in Irish territorial waters. [224598]
Israel
Mr. Drew:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has
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had with the Israeli authorities on the plans of the IsraeliGovernment to build more homes on the West Bank. [224051]
Mr. Rammell: We have made frequent representations to the Israeli government expressing our concern over continued settlement activity. We have made clear our view that settlements are illegal under international law. The Roadmap requires that Israel freeze all settlement expansion and dismantle outposts erected since March 2001. Most recently my right hon. and noble Friend the Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean, the Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, met the Israeli Ambassador in London on 23 March. Baroness Symons expressed our concern at Israel's plans to build 3,500 more homes between the West Bank settlement of Ma'ale Adumim and Jerusalem.
Middle East
Mr. Gill: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment his Department has made of the political impact on (a) Jordan, (b) Syria, (c) Israel, (d) Palestine and (e) Iran of the recent conflict in Iraq. [223942]
Mr. Rammell: We closely monitor the political situation in the Middle East. The fall of Saddam Hussein's regime removed the threat he posed to Iraq's neighbours.
For Syria, the conflict gave rise to the movement of numbers of Iraqis across Syria's borders. There is evidence that some Syrian extremists have travelled to Iraq to take part in the insurgency. Syria appears to be the principal route for insurgents entering Iraq and continues to support former Iraqi regime elements who are based in Syria. We have repeatedly raised our concerns about these issues with the Syrian Government, and will continue to do so.
For Iran, the removal of Saddam's Government has created an opportunity to re-establish Iran/Iraq relations on a more positive footing. A stable and prosperous Iraq is in the best interests of Iran as well as the wider region. We have encouraged Iran to play a constructive role and to support Iraqi efforts to preserve security. We have made clear our concern at the alleged links between elements of the Iranian regime and armed groups in Iraq who have sought to undermine the rule of law.
For Jordan, the conflict gave rise to the movement of numbers of Iraqis across Jordan's borders. Since the conflict ended, Jordan has provided political support and practical assistance to Iraq.
The conflict has had less direct effect on Israel and Palestine, although a source of funds for some Palestinian groups has dried up with the removal of Saddam Hussein. In recent months the Israeli and Palestinian focus has been directed internally towards the Palestinian elections and disengagement.
Successful elections were held in Iraq on 30 January. The formation of a democratically elected Iraqi Government should have a further positive impact on stability in the region.
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Linda Perham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what programmes his Department is undertaking to promote political reform in the Middle East. [224128]
Mr. Rammell: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office's main programme tool for supporting reform in the Middle East is the Engaging with the Islamic World programme under the Global Opportunities Fund. It currently supports 44 programmes in the Middle East and North Africa region. From this financial year we are doubling the programme's budget to £8.5 million. We also have a number of other programmes, such as the Global Conflict Prevention Pool, sponsored themed visits and scholarships, which contribute to our policy of supporting regionally-led reform.
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment his Department has made of the work of the EU on (a) governmental transparency and (b) anti-corruption mechanisms in the Middle East; and if he will make a statement. [224628]
Mr. MacShane: My Department has made no specific assessment of the work of the EU on governmental transparency and anti-corruption mechanisms in the Middle East. But the UK's national contribution to the 10-year Review of the Barcelona Process argues that theEU and Mediterranean Partner countries should set long-term governance targets in order, among other things, to promote greater transparency in policy making and to counter corruption across the EuroMed region. We believe that such targets should be incorporated into the European Neighbourhood Policy Action Plans with Mediterranean Partner countries. And we will continue to press the EU to incorporate the principles of the EU Strategic Partnership with the Mediterranean and the Middle East as it develops its relations with other countries in the region.
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