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7 Nov 2006 : Column 1194W—continued
Extraordinary Rendition
Mr. Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when she last discussed extraordinary rendition with her US counterpart. [78824]
Mr. McCartney: It has not proved possible to respond to the right hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Gibraltar
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the UK’s claim is to territorial water surrounding Gibraltar. [95258]
Mr. McCartney: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Guantanamo Bay
Mr. Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when she last discussed the status of Guantanamo Bay prison with her US counterpart. [78823]
Mr. McCartney: It has not proved possible to respond to the right hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
India (Staff Numbers)
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many staff are employed at (a) the High Commission and (b) each Deputy High Commission in India; where each is based; and what the job description is of each. [61552]
Mr. McCartney: It has not proved possible to respond to my hon. Friend in the time available before Prorogation.
Iran
Mr. Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations were made by Iran to the EU High Representative during recent P5+1 discussions on the (a) P5+1 set of proposals agreed in Vienna on 1 June, (b) conditions for negotiations on Iran’s nuclear programme and (c) suspension of nuclear enrichment by Iran as resolved by the UN Security Council; and if she will make a statement. [96991]
Mr. McCartney: It has not proved possible to respond to the right hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment she has made of the risk to regional security posed by Iran's nuclear programme. [99287]
Dr. Howells: The proliferation of nuclear weapons in the middle east would pose a serious threat to the region's stability and security.
We remain deeply concerned by Iran's nuclear programme. Iran has not met the requirements of the International Atomic Energy Agency Board of Governors and the UN Security Council, including the requirement that it should suspend all uranium enrichment related and reprocessing activities. This is essential to build confidence that the intentions of Iran's nuclear programme are exclusively peaceful.
We remain committed to a negotiated solution, and regret that Iran has not taken the steps that would enable negotiations to begin on the basis of the proposals presented in June by Javier Solana on behalf of the E3+3 (UK, France, Germany + US, Russia, China). These proposals would form the basis of a long term agreement: they offer Iran everything it needs to develop a modern civil nuclear power industry in return for restoring international confidence in the exclusively peaceful nature of its nuclear programme.
We are determined that Iran should comply fully with its obligations. E3+3 Foreign Ministers met in London on 6 October and agreed that Iran's failure to comply with Security Council Resolution 1696, and take the steps that would enable a return to negotiations, leaves no option but to seek a new Security Council Resolution adopting measures under Article 41 of the UN Charter. We are now discussing a draft with other members of the Security Council.
Mr. Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment she has made of reports that Iran has begun operating a second 164-machine cascade at its Natanz nuclear facility; and if she will make a statement. [99596]
Mr. McCartney: It has not proved possible to respond to the right hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Iraq
Mr. Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what relationship the US-Iraq high-level working group on security announced in Washington on 28 October 2006 will have to the existing Joint Committee on Transfer Security Responsibility; and if she will make a statement. [99594]
Mr. McCartney: It has not proved possible to respond to the right hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Mr. Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what role the UK will have in the US-Iraq high-level working group on security announced in Washington on 28 October 2006; and if she will make a statement. [99595]
Mr. McCartney: It has not proved possible to respond to the right hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Mr. Rob Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment she has made of the effect of regime change in Iraq on regimes in North Korea and Iran. [100174]
Mr. McCartney: The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s (DPRK) ambition and efforts to acquire nuclear weapons date from at least the 1980s. Since 2002, the United States has given the DPRK repeated assurances that it has no intention to attack or invade, and that it backs a diplomatic resolution to the nuclear issue through the Six Party Talks. Although some official statements from the DPRK have referred to US military action in Iraq as justifying their recent actions, we do not believe the DPRK would have adopted a different course if we had not taken action in Iraq.
Many elements in the Iranian regime believe Saddam Hussein’s fall removed a significant threat to Iran’s security. Since 2003, Iran has sought to improve ties with the Iraqi authorities, including through high-level contacts and the development of economic and religious links. Iran has said that it wants multi-national forces to leave Iraq as soon as possible and we remain deeply concerned at Iran’s links to Shia extremists who have carried out attacks on them. Our concerns about other Iranian policies—for example, in areas such as its nuclear and ballistic missile programmes, support for terrorism, attitude towards Israel and lack of respect for human rights—predate 2003 and have continued since then.
Kosovo
Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions she has had with the (a) US Administration, (b) EU and (c) UN on the future of Kosovo. [100225]
Mr. McCartney: The Government have remained in close touch with the US, EU and UN and other members of the Contact Group (Russia, France, Germany, Italy, EU Council Secretariat and NATO) as the Kosovo Final Status Process has moved forward. This has included discussions at official and ministerial level.
Mexico
Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations UK representatives in Mexico have made to the government of Mexico on events in Oaxaca state; what local society groups UK mission staff have met; and what visits have been made by UK representatives to that state. [99828]
Mr. McCartney:
Since May 2006, there have been a number of protests in the city of Oaxaca, some of which have turned violent. On 27 October, three people were killed and federal troops arrived in Oaxaca city
under the orders of President Fox on 28 October.The situation there remains tense.
My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary discussed the situation in Oaxaca with the Mexican Foreign Minister, Ernesto Derbez, on 4 October during her visit to Mexico. Our embassy in Mexico City is currently running a restorative justice project in Oaxaca with non-governmental organisation Proderecho. The embassy last visited Oaxaca in May 2006, as part of this project. The embassy also has a Consular Correspondent in Oaxaca state who provides assistance to British nationals in need of consular help.
Middle East
Mr. Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions (a) she and (b) members of her Department have had with (i) the United Nations Secretary General and (ii) his representatives on proposals to resolve the status of the Shebaa Farms area in accordance with UNSCR 1701; and if she will make a statement. [99597]
Mr. McCartney: It has not proved possible to respond to the right hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Ministerial Visits
Mr. Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if she will (a) place in the Library and (b) post on her departmental website copies of (i) speeches made and (ii) agreements concluded during her visit to India on 2 to8 November; and if she will make a statement. [100113]
Mr. McCartney: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on how many occasions she has visited (a) Scotland, (b) Wales and (c) Northern Ireland in the last 12 months. [94958]
Mr. McCartney: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Missing Persons (Balkans)
Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what funding her Department has made available for initiatives to track down persons missing after wars in the Balkans in the 1990s in each year since the end of overt hostilities. [100224]
Mr. McCartney: Since 2000, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s Global Conflict Prevention Pool (GCPP) has provided financial support to both the International Commission for Missing Persons (ICMP) based in Sarajevo and the Office for Missing Persons and Forensics (OMPF) in Kosovo. They assist efforts to locate and identify persons still missing after the war in the Western Balkans.
Funding was provided as follows;
| £ | |
In addition, a further £514,139 (ICMP—£371,282 and OMPF—£142,857) has been allocated from the 2006-07 GCPP to provide additional support.
Moldova
Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment she has made of the effect on Moldova of Romanian entry into the EU. [96904]
Mr. McCartney: It has not proved possible to respond to my hon. Friend in the time available before Prorogation.
Nigeria
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to her answer of 12 July 2006 to the hon. Member for Rayleigh (Mr. Francois), Official Report, column 1913W, on Nigeria, if she will place a copy of the letter in the Library. [99587]
Mr. McCartney: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
North Korea
Mr. Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment she has made of the nature of the device exploded in the Democratic People’s Republic of North Korea on8 October; and if she will make a statement. [93214]
Mr. McCartney: It has not proved possible to respond to the right hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Official Residences
Mr. Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs of which official residences she has use. [96382]
Mr. McCartney: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Official Visits
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on how many occasions she has visited each region in an official capacity in the last 12 months. [83973]
Mr. McCartney: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Palestine
Dr. Starkey: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if she will make a statement on the project damage assessment database maintained by the European Commission relating to the destruction by Israeli forces of Palestinian infrastructure and facilities financed by the EU and other donors; and what is the total value of the damage listed in the database. [91957]
Mr. McCartney: It has not proved possible to respond to my hon. Friend in the time available before Prorogation.
Palestinian Authority
Mr. Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment she has made of the extent to which the Palestinian Authority commitments agreed at the March 2005 London Meeting on Supporting the Palestinian Authority have been met; and if she will make a statement. [95352]
Mr. McCartney: It has not proved possible to respond to the right hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
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