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5 Jun 2006 : Column 338W—continued
Public Transport (Incentives)
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what incentives are available to encourage members of her staff to use public transport for travelling to and from work. [75118]
Mr. Hoon: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office offers staff an advance of salary or rail warrants to help them obtain season tickets for home to office travel on public transport. The majority of our staff in London use public transport.
In addition, we have a number of policies which contribute to staff using more sustainable methods of transport as outlined in the reply I gave to the hon. Member on 24 May 2006, Official Report, columns 1867-68W.
Slovenia
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations she has received requesting an apology from the Government for the repatriation in 1945 of Slovene Home Guard soldiers to Yugoslavia; and if she will make a statement. [74748]
Mr. Hoon: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has received a number of representations on the repatriation of the Slovene Home Guard, including letters from individuals and an early day motion in the House. We have received no communications on the subject from the Slovene Government. The Second World War and its aftermath brought tragedy in its wake for many people. It is right that we remember the suffering of the Slovene nation during this time.
Spain
Mark Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 4 May 2006, Official Report, column 1808W, on Spain, if she will make a statement on the outcome of the discussions between officials and the Spanish Ministry of Justice; and when (a) she and (b) diplomatic and consular staff in Spain next plan to meet the Spanish authorities to discuss child custody cases in Spain involving British parents. [74453]
Dr. Howells:
Officials from the Department for Constitutional Affairs and Foreign and Commonwealth Office discussed steps to improve
co-operation in resolving child residence and access disputes in Spain involving British parents with the Spanish Ministry of Justice. Two new members of staff have recently been appointed at the Spanish Central Authority handling cases brought under the 1980 Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction. Although my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary currently has no plans to meet the Spanish authorities to discuss this matter, officials will pursue these issues as necessary and appropriate.
Sri Lanka
Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment she has made of the safety of the waters off Sri Lanka; and what pressure she is exerting (a) bilaterally and (b) through multilateral organisations towards ensuring that the waters are made safe. [73405]
Dr. Howells: The Department for Transport, advise that the Transport and Security Contingencies Team have not issued any specific advice on piracy or terrorism in Sri Lankan waters. The International Ship and Port Security rating remains at code 1, which is normal.
In the Foreign and Commonwealth Office travel advice for Sri Lanka we advise British mariners to avoid the coastline and adjacent territorial sea of the Trincomalee, Mullaitivu, Jaffna, Kilinochchi and Mannar administrative districts in the north and east. These are declared as restricted zones by the Sri Lankan authorities and there have been attacks on shipping in these areas in the past.
It is the Government of Sri Lanka’s responsibility to ensure the safety of it’s territorial waters. The UK view is that the most effective way to resolve the tensions over these areas is through the existing Sri Lankan peace process, which we fully support.
Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action she is taking to encourage resumption of peace negotiations in Sri Lanka, between the Government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. [73406]
Dr. Howells: We actively support the Norwegian facilitated peace process. We continue to urge the Sri Lankan Government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam to return to the face-to-face talks. We make this clear in our regular contact with the Sri Lankan Government, Members of Parliament, including representatives of Tamil political groups, and civil society. We also actively contribute to the EU’s work in its role as one of the Tokyo co-Chairs to the Sri Lankan peace process.
Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment she has made of whether the ceasefire agreement signed in 2002 between the Sri Lankan Government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam is still in force; what action she is taking towards ensuring this agreement is upheld; and what her policy is on seeking a new agreement. [73407]
Dr. Howells: Under the terms of the ceasefire agreement the Sri Lankan Monitoring Mission was established to monitor the ceasefire and investigate and record violations by either side. With the recent escalation in violence, we assess that the ceasefire is under intense pressure, but we welcome the stated commitment of both sides to maintain the ceasefire agreement. We encourage the Government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam to return to face-to face talks so they can discuss concerns about the ceasefire and work towards a lasting peace agreement.
I refer the hon. Member to the answer my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary gave to the right hon. Member for Richmond, Yorks (Mr. Hague) on 5 June 2006 (UIN 73720).
Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate she has made of the number of people (a) killed and (b) displaced in Sri Lanka in the last three weeks in attacks by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam; and if she will make a statement. [73408]
Dr. Howells: The Sri Lankan Monitoring Mission (SLMM) recorded 125 deaths in political violence between 1 and 23 May. They categorise the status of victims to be 71 civilians, 36 armed forces members, eight police force members and 10 Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) operatives. However, it is not possible to assess which of these may have been killed by the LTTE without prejudging the decisions of the SLMM. Our assessment is that most of the armed forces casualties were inflicted by the LTTE, but other armed groups are also responsible for deaths. There are also reports that Government security forces may be involved in some of the killings.
As at 19 May the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees reported that 8,764 families have fled the violence in Trincomalee district in recent weeks. This is the only district for which there is firm evidence of substantial movements of people.
I refer the hon. Member to the answer my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary gave to the right hon. Member for Richmond, Yorks (Mr. Hague) on 5 June 2006 (UIN 73720).
Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if she will make a statement on UK-Sri Lankan relations. [73409]
Dr. Howells:
The long-standing relations between the UK and Sri Lanka are good and also wide-ranging. They are maintained through regular contacts at all levels. The Sri Lankan Foreign Minister visited London in March 2006 and met my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for International Development, my right hon. Friend the then Foreign Secretary and my right hon. Friend the then Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Nationality. Topics discussed included the peace process, tsunami reconstruction, immigration issues and countering Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam fundraising. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport visited Sri Lanka in December 2005 and met the Sri Lankan Prime Minister. My hon.
Friend the then Minister for Trade, Investment and Foreign Affairs visited Sri Lanka in January 2006 and met representatives of the Government and Tamil political parties.
We have made clear our continuing support for a peaceful negotiated settlement to the ethnic conflict that meets the legitimate aspirations of all Sri Lankans. The Government provide funding for projects through the Global Conflict Prevention Pool to support this aim.
Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment she has made of the freedom of the media in Sri Lanka. [73492]
Dr. Howells: There is no censorship of the Sri Lankan press which, generally reports freely. The public have a wide choice of print and electronic media sources from which to choose. However, we are deeply concerned about the recent attack on a newspaper office in Jaffna that killed two staff. This is the latest incidence of threats and violence directed at journalists in Sri Lanka. We have raised the issue of press freedom with the Sri Lankan Government as well as our concern at the use of violence and intimidation more widely.
Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what assessment she has made of reports of extra-judicial killings by Government security forces in Sri Lanka; [73493]
(2) whether her Department has made representations to the Government of Sri Lanka about alleged human rights abuses by Government forces in Sri Lanka. [73495]
Dr. Howells: We take these reports extremely seriously and have raised with members of the Sri Lankan Government our concerns about human rights. We have made clear that there should be a full and transparent inquiry by the Government into suspected extra-judicial killings in which the safety of witnesses must be guaranteed.
Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if she will make a statement on the current situation of the peace process in Sri Lanka. [73494]
Dr. Howells: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary gave to the right hon. Member for Richmond, Yorks (Mr. Hague) today (UIN 73720).
Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment she has made of the political situation in Sri Lanka; what resources her Department has allocated to peace monitoring there; and if she will make a statement. [73647]
Dr. Howells: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to him today (UIN 73407) and to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary to the right hon. Member for Richmond, Yorks (Mr. Hague) today (UIN 73720).
In addition to supporting the work of the Monitoring Mission, the Government provide funding
for projects through the Global Conflict Prevention Pool, and receives regular reports from the our high commission in Colombo.
Mr. Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if she will make a statement on the peace process in Sri Lanka. [73720]
Margaret Beckett: We are deeply concerned at the recent escalation in violence in Sri Lanka. We condemn all forms of violence and intimidation. We urge the Liberation of Tamil Tigers Eilam (LTTE) and the Government of Sri Lanka to fulfil the commitments they made in Geneva in February. The Government pledged that no armed group or person other than Government security forces would carry arms or conduct armed operations. The LTTE pledged to take all necessary measures to ensure that there would be no acts of violence against the security forces and police. Both sides made a commitment to ensure that there will be no intimidation, acts of violence, abductions or killings.
The LTTE is a proscribed organisation in Britain and is likely also to be listed by the EU as a terrorist organisation. We urge the LTTE to renounce violence and pursue a political solution.
We call on the Government of Sri Lanka to do all in their power to ensure the safety and wellbeing of their population. And to ensure that any suspected human rights abuses are fully investigated in an open and transparent way.
We continue to believe that dialogue is the only way to achieve a negotiated settlement to the conflict in Sri Lanka. Violence cannot solve internal differences nor bring sustainable peace. All sides need to exercise restraint and act in a constructive and patient way. We fully support the Norwegian facilitated peace talks and will continue to work for a settlement that takes full account of the legitimate demands of all communities within a democratic and stable Sri Lanka.
Mr. Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment she has made of the involvement of Sri Lankan security forces in extra-judicial execution of Tamil civilians; and if she will make a statement. [74428]
Dr. Howells: We are deeply concerned at reports that members of Government security forces may have been involved in the deaths of civilians and the intimidation of the civilian population. The Sri Lankan Monitoring Mission has the task of investigating these reports. We strongly endorse their work.
We take such reports extremely seriously and have raised with members of the Sri Lankan Government our concerns about human rights. We have made clear that there should be a full and transparent enquiry by the Government into suspected extra-judicial killings in which the safety of witnesses must be guaranteed. It is important for the Government and the military to adhere fully to international humanitarian law, and accepted rules of conduct and engagement. They must demonstrate that no-one is above the law and that members of the armed forces do not enjoy impunity. We are also concerned at the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam's failure to halt the violence despite their
public commitments at the peace talks in Geneva in February to do so. Both sides must follow through on the implementation of their commitments. Violence against the civilian population can never be justified.
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what monitoring she is undertaking of the conflict in Sri Lanka. [74455]
Dr. Howells: Under the terms of the cease-fire agreement, the Sri Lankan Monitoring Mission was established to monitor the cease-fire and investigate and record violations by either side. We fully support the work of the Monitoring Mission. Our high commission in Colombo monitors the conflict closely and we receive regular reports from them. We also fund projects in Sri Lanka, through the Global Conflict Prevention Pool, which monitor the levels of violence and seek to mediate on local sources of tension. We are deeply concerned at the recent escalation in violence in Sri Lanka and call on the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam and the Government to return to the negotiating table and live up to the commitments they made at talks in Geneva in February this year.
Mr. Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions she has had with the Sri Lankan Government on the recent escalation of violence in Sri Lanka; and what the outcomes of such discussions have been. [74775]
Dr. Howells: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has not as yet had discussions with the Sri Lankan Government. When I met the Foreign Minister Samaraweera of Sri Lanka in London in March, I made clear our strong desire to see the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam and the Government live up to commitments they made at talks in Geneva in February. Sadly, this has not happened. As I said during a debate on Sri Lanka in the House on 24 May 2006, Official Report, columns 1606-10, it is vital that both sides return to the negotiating table and work towards a settlement that satisfies the concerns and legitimate aspirations of all Sri Lankans. We shall continue to convey this message, bilaterally and with EU partners.
Mr. Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations she has received from UK groups asking her to put pressure on the Sri Lankan Government to resume peace talks with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. [74776]
Dr. Howells: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has received no such representations. I took part in a debate in Sri Lanka in the House on 24 May 2006, Official Report, columns 1606-10, during which I called on the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam to move away from the path of violence, and on the Government of Sri Lanka to rein in paramilitary attacks in Government-controlled areas. We consider it important that both sides live up to the commitments they made at talks in Geneva in February this year.
Sudan
Mr. Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if she will discuss with the Government of Saudi Arabia the shipment of small arms and light weapons from that country to Government and other combatants in Sudan; and if she will make a statement. [73434]
Mr. Hoon: We are not aware of any arms shipments from Saudi Arabia to Sudan that would constitute a breach of UN sanctions, and therefore have no plans to raise this specifically with the Saudi Arabian Government. However, we discuss a broad range of issues with Saudi Arabia, including the arms trade. Officials from our embassy in Riyadh recently discussed with Saudi counterparts international efforts to set standards for the trade in conventional arms, including progressing the initiative for an Arms Trade Treaty and the Transfer Controls Initiative for Small Arms and Light Weapons.
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment she has made of reports that rebel forces who signed the recent peace deal in Darfur have broken the ceasefire. [74659]
Mr. McCartney: There have been some indications of an overall reduction in attacks by rebel groups and government forces since the signature of the Darfur Peace Agreement, although attacks by militias have continued. It remains to be seen what will happen in the longer term. The African Union's mission to Darfur is responsible for reporting any breaches of the ceasefire to the Ceasefire Commission. We continue to call on all parties to rein in their fighters and bring an end to the conflict.
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the timetable is for the transfer of forces from the African Union to the UN in Darfur. [74660]
Mr. McCartney: The process for the transition involves a series of steps: a UN planning mission to visit Darfur; a Security Council decision on a UN force; mobilisation and deployment. We welcome the Government of Sudan's acceptance of a planning mission and are pressing for them to accept transition to a UN force. The mandate of the current African Union (AU) force in Darfur expires on 30 September 2006, and we are pushing for the UN to begin deploying then. Meanwhile we continue to offer the AU support to enhance the effectiveness of its mission.
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