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19 Mar 2007 : Column 596Wcontinued
John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations have been received by her Department on the Al Yamamah military contract since the announcement that the Serious Fraud Office was ending its investigation into the contract.
Dr. Howells: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary to my right hon. Friend the Member for Leicester, East (Keith Vaz) on 26 February, Official Report, column 1138W.
Mr. Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions she has had with representatives of the Government of Turkmenistan following the election of Kurbanguly Berdymukhamedov. [127611]
Mr. Hoon: Our ambassador, and other EU ambassadors resident in Ashgabat, met the Foreign Minister of Turkmenistan, Rashid Meredov, on 15 February.
Also on 15 February, the EU special representative for Central Asia, Pierre Morel, met President Berdymukhamedov. The talks focussed on possible future co-operation between the EU and Turkmenistan on the areas of reform announced by President Berdymukhamedov during his inauguration speech, including healthcare, education and agriculture.
Mr. Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions she has had with independent observers of the presidential election in Turkmenistan held on 11 February 2007. [127612]
Mr. Hoon: The Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europes Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights sent a technical assistance team to Turkmenistan for the presidential election. The UN also visited Turkmenistan in the period of the presidential election and discussed possible electoral reform with the Turkmen authorities. However, neither sent an observation mission to the presidential election in Turkmenistan on 11 February.
Mr. Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions (a) she and (b) her Ministerial colleagues have had with (i) EU counterparts and (ii) other governments in the region of Turkmenistan, following the election of Kurbanguly Berdymukhamedov. [127613]
Mr. Hoon: We are working closely with our EU partners on how the EU can best support and assist the Government of Turkmenistan to implement democratic and human rights reforms following the presidential election on 11 February.
The EU Special Representative for Central Asia, Pierre Morel, met President Berdymukhamedov on 15 February and later that day saw the Foreign Minister, Rashid Meredov, with EU Ambassadors. The
EU stands ready to co-operate with the Government of Turkmenistan to help support the implementation of the governments reform programme, particularly in the areas of rule of law and social development, agriculture, economy, education and the environment. An EU-Turkmenistan Seminar on Social and Human Development will take place in April. This will also involve other international organisations and UN agencies.
Our Ambassadors in the region discuss regional and country specific issues with their host foreign ministries on a regular basis.
Mr. Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions (a) she and (b) her Ministerial colleagues have had with the UN Human Rights Council on proposed visits to Turkmenistan following the election of Kurbanguly Berdymukhamedov. [127614]
Mr. Hoon: We very much welcome the suggestion that the UN Commissioner for Human Rights and the Rapporteur on Religious Freedom visit Turkmenistan. However, to date, we have had no direct discussions in the UN Human Rights Council on this issue. The timing and agenda for such visits depends on the Government of Turkmenistan.
Mr. Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions (a) she and (b) her Ministerial colleagues have had with representatives of the government of Turkmenistan on travel restrictions and the imprisonment of dissidents. [127615]
Mr. Hoon: There have been no recent discussions with the Government of Turkmenistan specifically on travel restrictions or the imprisonment of dissidents. However, during his latest visit to Turkmenistan, the EU Special Representative for Central Asia, Pierre Morel, raised the issue of human rights. Our Ambassador in Ashgabat also raises the issue of human rights at every appropriate opportunity and the Embassy continues to follow developments in this area, supporting individual cases.
Mr. Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment she has made of the implications of the election of Kurbanguly Berdymukhamedov for relations between the UK and Turkmenistan. [127689]
Mr. Hoon: Following the election of President Berdymukhamedov, there have been welcome signs of a new commitment to reform in Turkmenistan. The UK stands ready to work closely with our EU and international partners to support and encourage this reform, particularly in the areas of rule of law and social development, agriculture, economy, education and the environment. An EU-Turkmenistan seminar on social and human development is planned to take place in April. With possible forthcoming visits from the UN Commissioner on Human Rights and the Rapporteur on Religious Freedom, there is potential for closer relations in a number of areas than in the past.
Mr. Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions she has had with representatives of the Uzbek government on the imprisonment of Umida Niyazova, Mutabar Tadjibaeva and Gulbakhor Turaeva; and if she will make a statement. [127616]
Mr. Hoon: We remain concerned by the arrests of Umida Niyazova and Gulbakhor Turaeva. Our Embassy in Tashkent is following their situation closely, remaining in touch with human rights groups and Niyazovas lawyer. Our Ambassador raised both cases with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 2 February. The German Embassy, as EU Presidency, has registered with the Uzbek authorities the EUs concern at the detention of both women, in Note Verbales on 13 and 20 February.
We have followed the case of Mutabar Tadjibaeva closely since her arrest in 2005. Our Embassy was present at her trial. We are working closely with human rights groups in touch with her family. We are concerned at reports that her relatives have been refused access to her. We regularly raise Tadjibaevas case with the Uzbek authorities, bilaterally and through the EU.
Mr. Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions (a) she and (b) her ministerial colleagues have had with representatives of the German government on Uzbekistan. [127617]
Mr. Hoon: We discuss Uzbekistan with the German Government regularly. Most recently, the EU General Affairs and External Relations Council discussed Uzbekistan on 5 March.
Our ambassador in Tashkent is also in regular contact with his German and other EU colleagues. Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials also maintain a regular dialogue with German officials on Uzbekistan, in London, Berlin and Brussels.
Mr. Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions (a) she and (b) her ministerial colleagues have had with representatives of other Governments in Central Asia on Uzbekistan. [127618]
Mr. Hoon: I discussed Uzbekistan with the Kazakh Foreign Minister during my visit to Kazakhstan in September 2006. Our ambassadors in Central Asia discuss regional and country specific issues with their host foreign ministries on a regular basis.
Mr. Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if she will make a statement on the human rights situation in Uzbekistan. [127619]
Mr. Hoon:
The human rights situation remains a cause for concern. The situation has deteriorated further since November 2006. There have been more arrests of respected human rights defenders, including Umida Niyazova, who worked as an interpreter for Human Rights Watch in Tashkent. The International
Committee of the Red Cross have not yet been able to visit prisons, despite apparently reaching agreement with the Uzbeks in November 2006. The Uzbek authorities continue to deny access to, and information on, the whereabouts of individuals of concern to the EU, for example Zainabiddinov and Tadjibaeva. More foreign non-governmental organizations in Tashkent, such as World Vision, are facing threats of eviction from the country.
Mr. Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions she has had with her counterpart in South Africa on the arrest and detention of Morgan Tsvangirai by security forces in Zimbabwe on 11 March 2007; and if she will make a statement. [128635]
Mr. McCartney: I raised in strong terms our concerns at the UN Human Rights Council on 13 March. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary spoke on 15 March to her South African counterpart about the worsening situation in Zimbabwe. We will continue to press South Africa and other African states to put pressure on Mugabe to allow peaceful protests to occur and to engage with the democratic opposition and civil society to bring about a resolution to Zimbabwe's problems.
My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has already made a statement publicly recording her condemnation of the shooting, arrest and beatings of protestors in Harare on 11 March.
Mr. Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans she has to discuss recent human rights abuses in Zimbabwe with EU member governments; and if she will make a statement. [128504]
Mr. McCartney: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary discussed Zimbabwe with the Swedish Minister for Foreign Affairs, Carl Bildt, on 15 March and it will be a subject for discussion with the Spanish Foreign Minister on 19 March. I raised in strong terms our concerns at the UN Human Rights Council on 13 March. We believe that the EU should show its abhorrence of state-sponsored violence on 11 March by adding key perpetrators to the EU's visa ban list. The EU will also engage southern African governments on the issue, following the visit by President Kikwete of Tanzania to Zimbabwe on 15 March.
Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports she has received of the treatment in detention of Morgan Tsvangirai, Arthur Mutambara and other democracy activists in Zimbabwe. [128158]
Mr. McCartney:
From their injuries, it is clear to all that Morgan Tsvangirai and others who were detained on 11 March were subjected to treatment of the most barbaric kind. This demonstrates Mugabe and his
government's total disregard for international law and the depths to which they are prepared to sink to silence their democratic opponents.
Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions she has had with her counterparts in (a) the United States, (b) China, (c) the Russian Federation and (d) France on the Zimbabwean Government's recent treatment of democracy activists at a prayer meeting in Harare. [128159]
Mr. McCartney: We remain in close contact with all permanent members of the UN Security Council and encourage the UN to remain focussed on all aspects of the worsening situation in Zimbabwe. We welcomed the clear statements from the UN Secretary-General and the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights condemning the recent arrests and beatings.
Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports she has received of violence toward democracy activists detained by the Government of Zimbabwe following a prayer meeting in Harare; and what representations she has made to (a) her counterparts in the European Union, (b) the EU External Affairs Commissioner and (c) her counterparts in South Africa on the issue. [128160]
Mr. McCartney: Our embassy in Harare is keeping us informed of events in Zimbabwe. Both my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary and my noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, Lord Triesman of Tottenham, have made statements expressing our deep condemnation of what has happened there in recent days. I raised in strong terms our concerns at the UN Human Rights Council on 13 March. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary discussed Zimbabwe with Nksozana Dlamini-Zuma and Carl Bildt on 15 March. We are in close contact with other EU countries and continue to discuss what needs to happen to relieve the terrible economic and humanitarian crisis facing its people.
Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate she has made of the number killed or seriously wounded in the recent incident at the prayer meeting at Highfield in Harare. [128161]
Mr. McCartney: Reports indicate that one movement for democratic change activist named Gift Tandare was shot and killed at the save Zimbabwe campaign prayer meeting on 11 March. Many others were wounded, some very seriously. 12 of those arrested and most seriously beaten both on and after arrest, including Morgan Tsvangirai, are still recovering in hospital. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has condemned the shooting, arrest and beatings of those who were protesting peacefully.
Mr. Clifton-Brown:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions she has held with the British Ambassador to Harare on
violence and intimidation towards democracy activists detained in Zimbabwe. [128172]
Mr. McCartney: Our ambassador in Harare and officials from the embassy are closely following events on the ground, talking to those who were involved and reporting back on developments. At this critical time in Zimbabwe, their accurate and timely reporting is absolutely crucial.
Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment she has made of the impartiality of the judiciary in Zimbabwe. [128109]
Mr. McCartney: Against the background of Zimbabwe's deepening economic and humanitarian crisis, we are increasingly concerned at the capacity of the Zimbabwean judiciary to maintain its quality of service and to resist increasing, overt political pressure. Only last month, a senior judge in Zimbabwe voiced her concerns in this regard and there are already strains beginning to show in the magistrates courts.
Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he intends to deploy Challenger tanks in Afghanistan. [127026]
Des Browne: There are no plans to send Challenger tanks to Afghanistan at present.
Mr. Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) suicide and (b) improvised explosive device attacks against NATO forces in Afghanistan were recorded in (i) 2005 and (ii) 2006. [127155]
Mr. Ingram: The number of attacks in Afghanistan has increased significantly from 2005 to 2006. It is estimated that, in 2005, there were approximately 500 improvised explosive device (IED) attacks, of which approximately 25 were suicide IED attacks. In 2006, it is assessed that there were approximately 1,525 IED attacks, of which approximately 150 were suicide IED attacks. These figures do not necessarily represent the complete statistics but are an estimate. The majority of attacks are against International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) troops or Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF); however, it is not always possible to define the specific target in any given incident.
Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what percentage of the total numbers of troops available to the International Security Assistance Force from (a) the United States, (b) Germany, (c) France and (d) the UK are serving in Afghanistan. [126690]
Des Browne: Of the total international security assistance force of around 35,500 troops, provided by the United States, Germany, France and the UK, the approximate percentages are as follows:
Percentage | |
The UK contribution will increase to approximately 21 per cent. once the force enhancements announced on 26 February have deployed fully.
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