| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
29 Mar 2007 : Column 1773W—continued
ASEAN
John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions she has had with ASEAN leaders on expediting the resettlement of refugees in the region. [129966]
Mr. McCartney: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has not had any discussions with the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) leaders on expediting the resettlement of refugees in the region.
However, the UK works with the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) on the issue of the resettlement of refugees, including those in the ASEAN region. Applications for resettlement are assessed by UNHCR staff against a clear set of criteria.
Burma: Democracy
John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent meetings UK Government officials have had with (a) the Karen National Union, (b) the Kachin Independence Organisation and (c) other ethnic organisations working for democracy in Burma. [130606]
Mr. McCartney: There have been no meetings with representatives from the Karen National Union or the Kachin Independence Organisation.
Officials are in regular contact with a range of organisations working for democracy in Burma.
Most recently, I met representatives from the Chin Human Rights Organisation, Women's League of Chinland and Kachin National Organisation on 24 January.
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations she has made to the Government of Democratic Republic of the Congo on the arrest and trial of Marie-Thérèse Nlandu and others; and if she will make a statement. [130232]
Mr. McCartney: The Government are closely following the continued detention of Mme. Nlandu. Our ambassador in Kinshasa has raised the case of Mme. Nlandu on several occasions with Congolese Ministers, the Congolese Interior Minister and President Kabila’s advisors. He raised the case with President Kabila himself in February. Embassy officials have also been present during some of her appearances in court and visited her in prison last month. We continue to monitor her situation and treatment closely. International partners are doing the same.
Departments: Personation
Mr. Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps her Department has taken to raise awareness of the dangers of identity fraud among departmental employees. [130429]
Mr. McCartney [holding answer 28 March 2007]: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office provides advice to its staff on the dangers of identity fraud and internet security through its intranet security advice web pages, other publications and training courses.
Gaza
Mr. Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment she has made of the freedom of EU monitors to access the Rafah border checkpoint in the Gaza strip; and if she will make a statement. [128890]
Margaret Beckett: We, along with our EU partners, are concerned at the impact of the frequent closures of the Kerem Shalom crossing which means EU border assistance monitors have to withdraw from Rafah causing the crossing to close. The EU is in regular discussion with both sides to enable the Rafah border crossing to be as effective as possible.
We are aware of the importance of the Rafah crossing point to the Palestinian people. We continue to call upon both sides to implement fully the November 2005 Agreement on Movement and Access.
Mr. Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether she has considered the possibility of stationing EU officials monitoring the Rafah border checkpoint between Gaza and Egypt on the Egyptian side of the border; what discussions she has had with her EU counterparts on this issue; what the outcome was of these discussions; and if she will make a statement. [128891]
Margaret Beckett: I have had no recent discussions about this issue with my EU counterparts. Under the strategic direction of the Political and Security Committee, EU officials are currently examining options to ensure the maximum effectiveness of the Rafah border crossing in the context of the possible renewal of the EU mission's mandate in May 2007.
Horn of Africa and Sudan
Andrew Mackinlay:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 6 February 2007, Official Report,
column 823W, on the Horn of Africa and Sudan, whether any of the representatives of the parties to the conflict in the Horn of Africa and Sudan whom Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials have met in the last 12 months are members of organisations included on the (a) UK and (b) EU list of proscribed terrorist organisations; and if she will make a statement. [121381]
Mr. McCartney: Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials have met no representatives of the parties to the conflict in the Horn of Africa and Sudan who are members of organisations included on the UK and EU list of proscribed terrorist organisations in the last 12 months.
Marc Swanson
John Thurso: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 20 March 2007, Official Report, column 838, on Marc Swanson, on which dates her officials in Brazil have had contact with the (a) Brazilian Ministry of Justice and (b) local police; and what information was received on each occasion. [130426]
Mr. McCartney [holding answer 28 March 2007]: Our consulate in Rio de Janeiro first made contact with the Brazilian authorities about the disappearance of Marc Swanson on 25 November 2003. They have continued to follow the investigation and remind the local authorities of our interest in resolving the case. Our embassy in Brasilia submitted a letter on behalf of Marc's mother on 15 August 2006, through the Brazilian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, for the attention of the Ministry of Justice (MoJ). Reminders were sent on 5 October 2006 and 14 January 2007. Following further inquiries we can confirm that the MoJ requested clarification on the case from the Secretary for Public Security (MoPS) in the state of Rio de Janeiro where Marc Swanson was reported as missing. The MoJ sent a reminder to the MoPS in February 2007. The MoJ informed us that the MoPS have assured them that they will intensify their investigation into the case, including further involvement with the police in the state of Rio de Janeiro. We will continue to press the Brazilian authorities to conduct a full and thorough investigation.
Members: Correspondence
Mr. Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when she will reply to the letter of 6 February 2007 from the hon. Member for North East Milton Keynes on Mr. Ken Hawkins, a constituent, of Willows End House, Milton Keynes, MK15 8AZ. [130358]
Mr. McCartney [holding answer 27 March 2007]: I understand that the hon. Member’s question refers to his letter of 28 February to which my right hon. Friend the Minister for Europe will be replying this week.
Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty
Alan Simpson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the
answer of 6 March 2007, Official Report, column 1843W, on the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, whether any informal representations have been made (a) directly and (b) indirectly to the UK Government on Trident and the UK's compliance with its obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. [129945]
Mr. McCartney: No informal representations with respect to non-compliance with the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) have been made directly to the UK by another state party to the treaty. We are also unaware of any indirect statements to this effect. As stated in the 2006 White Paper ‘The future of the United Kingdom's nuclear deterrence’ and accompanying fact sheets: renewing the current Trident system is fully consistent with the NPT and with all our international obligations.
Alan Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the answer of 6 March 2007, Official Report, column 1843W, on the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, whether any states have made informal representations on UK compliance. [130776]
Mr. Hoon: We have no record of any recent informal representations by any states on UK compliance with the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. The Treaty entered into force in 1970. A thorough search of all historical records since then would incur disproportionate cost.
Pakistan: Human Rights
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions she has had with the Government of Pakistan on its blasphemy laws and hudood ordinances. [130671]
Mr. Hoon: My right hon. Friend the Minister for Trade, visited Pakistan in November 2006 and raised the issue of human rights with the Government of Pakistan. He welcomed the adoption of the Women’s Protection Bill in November 2006, which made significant amendments to the hudood legislation governing rape and adultery, as an important step by the Government of Pakistan.
In subsequent correspondence with the Government of Pakistan in February, my right hon. Friend raised the abuse of the blasphemy laws and the impact on religious minorities in particular.
We will continue to raise our human rights concerns with the Government of Pakistan, bilaterally and together with our EU partners.
Saudi Arabia
Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if she will raise the case of Mr. Rafiq Gorji, his late wife and the safety of Hajj pilgrimage travel with the Saudi authorities. [129860]
Mr. McCartney:
Following the bus crash near Rabigh in Saudi Arabia on 9 December 2006 when three British nationals—including Mr Gorji's wife—
died, our ambassador in Riyadh met the Saudi Arabian Minister of Hajj on 10 February and raised the issue of travel safety for pilgrims during the Hajj.
The Minister explained that new measures to improve travel safety would be introduced from next year. These would include:
a requirement that each bus must have two drivers;
a ban to be introduced on all buses carrying pilgrims between Mecca and Medina, after 11 pm; and
the development of a new train project between Mecca and Medina.
The safety of British nationals abroad is a priority for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and we welcome these new initiatives.
Sudan
Mr. Mullin: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what reports she has received on the recent use of air attacks by the Sudanese airforce on civilian targets in Darfur; and what progress has been made with her discussions with allies on introducing and enforcing a no-fly zone in Darfur. [129876]
Mr. McCartney: The most recent aerial bombardment we are aware of in Darfur was on 11 February. This was reported by the African Union Mission in Sudan. We have condemned the Sudanese Government for mounting this attack. Although we are not aware of any aerial bombardments since then, the Government of Sudan retains the capacity to mount future bombing raids.
We believe the UN Security Council should impose further measures on those responsible for violating UN Security Council Resolution 1591. In particular, we are pressing for improved monitoring of offensive military flights in and over the Darfur region. We will be taking this forward with our Security Council partners in the coming days. We continue to consider the possibility of imposing a No Fly Zone.
Sudan: Peace Negotiations
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment she has made of the prospects for success of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement for Sudan. [130298]
Mr. McCartney:
President Bashir and First Vice President Kiir re-affirmed their commitment to implementing the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) during its second anniversary celebrations in January. But these statements need to be underpinned by serious action. Although there have been advances, not least the formation of the Government of National Unity and the remitting of oil revenues to the south, major issues under the CPA remain outstanding. Of these, resolving the Abyei dispute, north/south border demarcation and initiating election preparations are among the most important. These pose a credible threat to the CPA’s future and ordinary Sudanese people’s belief that making peace brings about positive change. The UK continues to press for more rapid progress through its membership of the CPA implementation monitoring body—the
Assessment and Evaluation Commission. The UK stressed the importance of CPA implementation at the 20-21 March second Sudan Consortium.
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what role her Department is playing in the negotiations between the Sudanese People’s Liberation Movement and the Government in Sudan on boundary disputes to be settled as part of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement. [130299]
Mr. McCartney: The absence of an agreed north/south border has major implications for meeting key security and wealth sharing milestones. The Border Committee’s work needs urgent acceleration to ensure this matter is resolved as quickly as possible. International partners, including the UK, stand ready to help. Through the UK's seat on the Assessment and Evaluation Commission—the international body established to monitor the effective implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA)—we will continue to press for the Border Committee to complete its work as soon as possible.
Deadlock on the Abyei Boundary Commission’s recommendations must be broken. As an interim step, the UK, with partners, has been pressing the National Congress Party and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement to agree to establish a civil administration in Abyei to ensure the delivery of basic services to local residents.
Uganda
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether she has made recent representations to the Ugandan government on its relationship with the Presidential candidate Jean-Pierre Bemba and the Mouvement de Libération du Congo. [130513]
Mr. McCartney: We have regular high-level discussions with members of Uganda’s government and have regularly raised Uganda’s role in stability in the region. We have not made any recent representations specifically regarding the Democratic Republic of Congo’s opposition leader Jean-Pierre Bemba or the Mouvement de Libération du Congo.
Our High Commissioner in Kampala saw President Museveni most recently on 28 February to discuss efforts to resolve the conflict in northern Uganda and concerns over the rule of law in relation to the detention of the alleged People’s Redemption Army suspects.
Uganda: Zimbabwe
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if she will make representations to the Ugandan government on its recent rejection of a Parliamentary motion to condemn human rights violations in Zimbabwe. [130512]
Mr. McCartney: Our High Commissioner in Kampala called on the Ugandan Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 28 March to discuss the government’s position towards Zimbabwe and to seek its support for an EU statement at the Human Rights Council condemning recent human rights abuses in that country.
Zimbabwe
Mr. Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when she expects the EU Common Position on Zimbabwe will next be reviewed; and whether the UK will advocate a strengthening of the Common Position. [128587]
Margaret Beckett: The EU Common Position was renewed for a further 12 months on 19 February. The targeted measures it contains can be reviewed and amended by unanimity at any time. We will propose to EU partners that the key perpetrators of the violence on 11 March should be added to the list of those subject to a visa ban and assets freeze.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |