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23 Apr 2008 : Column 2124W—continued
“no one has told us Iraqis what to put in the law. Iraqis alone have been deciding it. The only pressure put on us has been to move it forward and complete it”.
The UK has an interest in promoting the effective management of this sector because of its importance to Iraq’s reconciliation process and future prosperity, and has encouraged a balanced, technically unambiguous piece of legislation, acceptable to Iraq’s main political parties.
Kosovo: Politics and Government
Mr. Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the criteria are under the UN Charter under which the Government recognised the independence of Kosovo. [198447]
Mr. Jim Murphy: There are no criteria on recognition of states in the UN Charter. Recognition is a decision for individual states to make. UN Security Council Resolution 1244 provided for a political process to determine Kosovo’s final status. The outcome of that process was the UN Special Envoy’s Comprehensive Proposal which recommended that Kosovo should be independent, supervised by the international community.
Mr. Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many members of the United Nations have not recognised the independence of Kosovo. [198448]
Mr. Jim Murphy: Of the 192 UN member states, many have yet to take a formal decision. We are aware of 18 who have publicly stated that they have decided not to recognise Kosovo. 38 UN member states, including 20 EU member states, have recognised Kosovo or signalled their intention to do so.
Mr. Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what response he plans to make to the proposal tabled at the United Nations by the Government of Serbia that the part of Kosovo which has a Serb majority should be transferred to Serbia. [198515]
Mr. Jim Murphy: No such proposal from the Serbian Government has been tabled at the UN. A proposal was handed to a senior representative of the UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo by the Serbian Minister for Kosovo. Other members of the Serbian Government have publicly distanced themselves from the proposal.
We do not believe that partition of Kosovo would be a sustainable solution or contribute to regional stability. Partition has been ruled out by the Contact Group and the EU. Both Belgrade and Pristina rejected this option during the status negotiations.
Malta: Health Services
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the Answer of 25 March 2008, Official Report, column 140W, on Malta: health services, if he will place in the Library a copy of the speech given by UK officials defending the language on sexual and reproductive rights; whether the term sexual and reproductive rights includes abortion and a right to abortion; and if he will make a statement. [198746]
Meg Munn: During the Commission on the Status of Women in February and March 2008, the UK aligned itself with the EU speech which did refer to sexual and reproductive health rights. A copy will be placed in the Library of the House.
UK officials did not give a national speech but spoke during informal negotiations at the Commission on the Status of Women to defend language already agreed by the EU on sexual and reproductive health and rights.
The position of the Government is consistent with international agreements such as the 1994 Cairo International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) and Beijing where there was agreement among delegations that the prevention of unwanted pregnancies should be given priority through expanded family planning services. ICPD also affirmed that in no case should abortion be promoted as a method of family planning. These agreements also recognise the health impact of abortion complications—unsafe abortion is a major cause of maternal death and injury—and agree that, where permitted by national law, abortion should be safe and that in all cases women should have access to quality services for the management of complications following abortion.
The Government consider that sexual and reproductive rights are key to improving the status of women and advancing their human rights globally and therefore should not be seen solely in the context of abortion.
Middle East: Armed Conflict
Mr. Amess:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions (a) he, (b) Ministers in his Department and (c) his
officials have had with the President of the Palestinian Authority on future armed conflict against Israel; and if he will make a statement. [198744]
Dr. Howells: We have not raised the matter with Palestinian President Abbas, but we welcome his statement distancing himself from this alleged comment, quoted in a Jordanian newspaper. It is essential that all Palestinians and Israelis recognise that their goals of mutual recognition, peace and security can only be achieved through peaceful negotiation. The Annapolis process is a crucial window of opportunity and the UK will continue to support both sides and encourage them to make the necessary concessions.
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether (a) the UK and (b) other countries through the UN (i) have organised and (ii) plan to organise medical aid to assist Israeli casualties following rocket attacks from (A) Gaza and (B) the Lebanon; and if he will make a statement. [198745]
Dr. Howells: We are deeply concerned about the recent escalation of violence in Gaza and Southern Israel. The UK and the UN have no plans to organise medical aid to assist Israeli casualties following rocket attacks in Gaza and Lebanon. Israel has an effective medical aid system in place.
Syria: Foreign Relations
Mr. Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent contact the Government has had with the Government of Syria; and if he will make a statement. [198516]
Dr. Howells: The UK has full diplomatic relations with Syria. Officials from our embassy in Damascus maintain regular contact with the Syrian Government.
UK Ministers have occasional contact with Syrian Ministers when we judge that such meetings would advance the UK’s interests. On 8 November 2007 my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary and I met the Syrian Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Dardari and Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Miqdad at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London. On 28 September 2007 my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary met Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem at the UN in New York.
We continue to call on the Syrian Government to play a constructive role in the Middle East: to cease its support for Palestinian rejectionist groups; support the Government of Iraq; and work to support the election of a consensus President in Lebanon.
Written Answers to Questions
Wednesday 23 April 2008
Health
Breast Cancer: Screening
Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the rate for breast cancer re-screening within 36 months was in (a) England, (b) West Yorkshire and (c) the Leeds/Wakefield screening area in each of the last six months; and what proportion of eligible women in the Leeds/Wakefield breast screening area received scans within 36 months in the most recent period for which figures are available. [199518]
Ann Keen: Data on the 36 month interval for breast cancer screening are collected quarterly by the national health service cancer screening programmes. Data for England and each breast screening unit are shown in the following table. Monthly interval rates of 38 months are also given as an indicator of how close intervals are to the national standard of 36 months.
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