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27 Apr 2009 : Column 1031W—continued
Burma: Politics and Government
John Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment his Department has made of the new constitution for Burma that will be enacted after elections in 2010. [271108]
Bill Rammell: We continue to have grave concerns about the Burmese authorities ‘roadmap process’, the new constitution and elections planned for 2010. The referendum of May 2008 was deeply flawed and the constitution that has emerged from it appears designed to perpetuate military domination of the state. The constitution was drawn up without any meaningful participation by the opposition or the main ethnic groups.
Departmental Public Expenditure
Mr. Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 12 March 2009, Official Report, column 625W, on departmental public expenditure, what activities have been (a) delayed in 2008-09 and (b) identified for delay in 2009-10 at embassies in (i) Amman, (ii) Lagos, (iii) New Delhi and (iv) Brussels. [267824]
David Miliband [holding answer 27 March 2009]: The posts concerned received over £4 million of Overseas Price Movements (OPM) mechanism uplifts in 2008-09 in order to maintain the purchasing power of their budget and to ensure they could deliver their strategic objectives without delaying activity.
However, in some of these posts there were some delays to low priority capital expenditure, including accommodation improvements, as we did not provide OPM for capital expenditure.
Work on 2009-10 budget setting has recently concluded and posts are currently finalising their activity plans against their resource allocation.
Iran: Arms Trade
Mr. Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps have been taken at (a) United Nations and (b) EU level in response to the finding by the UN Iran Sanctions Committee that the vessel MV Monchegorsk was transporting arms-related material from Iran to Syria. [270678]
David Miliband: We continue to have discussions with our UN and European partners to improve enforcement of sanctions against Iran. As Cypriot Foreign Minister Marcos Kyprianou has said, the Monchegorsk was in “clear” breach of UN sanctions banning Iran from exporting arms and related materiel. By retaining the cargo at a secure facility, Cyprus has dealt with the situation effectively and in line with UN and EU requirements.
We are continuing to support the Committee’s ongoing efforts to ensure full implementation of the measures prescribed in Security Council resolutions 1737 (2006), 1747 (2007) and 1803 (2008). All states have an obligation to comply fully with mandatory measures imposed by the UN Security Council.
Mr. Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the UN Sanctions Committee has received reports from (a) Iran and (b) Syria on the shipment of arms-related material from Iran to Syria in the vessel MV Monchegorsk. [270679]
David Miliband: On 9 March 2009, the Chairman of the UN Security Council’s Iran Sanctions Committee requested reports from both Iran and Syria on this incident, which was in violation of a legally-binding chapter VII Security Council resolution.
Syria replied to the Chairman of the Iran Sanctions Committee on 17 March 2009.
Iran did not reply directly, but issued a press statement on 31 March 2009 claiming that the shipment was “within the framework of normal trade transactions”.
The letter from Syria included no denial that sanctions had been breached. We are pressing through the Committee to ensure full implementation of the measures prescribed in UN Security Council resolutions 1737 (2006) 1747 (2007) and 1803 (2008) and gain a full explanation for the breach from the countries concerned. All states have an obligation to comply fully with mandatory measures imposed by the UN Security Council.
Iran: Nuclear Power
Mr. Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether it is his policy that suspension by Iran of its uranium enrichment programme should be a precondition for negotiations on its nuclear programme; and if he will make a statement. [270687]
David Miliband: The UK fully subscribes to the E3+3 group of countries’ dual-track strategy, which makes clear that Iran must suspend its enrichment-related activities, as required by five UN Security Council Resolutions, before full negotiations can begin. Iran needs to demonstrate the exclusively peaceful nature of its nuclear programme. We and our E3+3 partners will continue to try and persuade Iran that negotiations and transparency present the best route to resolving this issue.
Latin America: Conflict Prevention
Mr. Moore:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 25 March 2009, Official Report, columns 17-19WS, on conflict resources 2009-10, what schemes are being funded under the Conflict Prevention
Pool programme in Latin America; and what assessment he has made of the impact of the withdrawal of UK funding on these schemes. [267728]
Bill Rammell: The schemes funded by the Latin America Conflict Prevention Pool are listed in the following table:
It is too early to provide a full assessment of the impact of Conflict Prevention Pool funding reductions in Latin America. Some of the above projects have been transferred to other funding streams, including strategic programme funds and bilateral programme budgets. We are also discussing with external stakeholders the possibility of joint funding for some of these schemes. The Department for International Development (DFID) also contributes significantly to multilateral work in the region. DFID's multilateral financial support is increasing by 15 per cent. over the next three years from £84 million to £97 million in 2010-11. DFID's new "Working in Partnership in Latin America" will also see the UK support the work of 12 international civil society partners increase to £13 million per year.
Morocco: Fisheries
Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will seek suspension of the EU-Morocco Fisheries Agreement in the light of reports of EU vessels fishing in the waters off Western Sahara in an area covered by the declaration of an exclusive economic zone by the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic. [270938]
Bill Rammell: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs has no plans to seek the suspension of the EU-Morocco Fisheries Agreement.
The EU-Morocco Fisheries Agreement was agreed in 2006 and sets out the terms for which UK and other European fishing vessels may fish in the waters off the coast of Western Sahara. The agreement does not prejudice the issue of the status of Western Sahara, which the UK regards as undetermined pending UN efforts to find a resolution. Nor does the agreement represent recognition of Morocco’s sovereignty over the maritime waters off Western Sahara.
National Security
David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on how many occasions he and his predecessors have authorised warrants under section 7 of the Intelligence and Security Act 1994 since 1997. [271251]
David Miliband: The issuing of authorisations under section 7 of the Intelligence and Security Act is scrutinized by the Intelligence Services Commissioner. In his most recent Report of the Intelligence Services Commissioner, he gave an account of his scrutiny function and noted that:
“Consistent with the practice followed since annual reporting by the respective statutory Commissioners began, I do not propose to disclose publicly the numbers of warrants or authorisations issued to the security and intelligence agencies. That is because, it would, I believe, assist those unfriendly to the UK were they able to know the extent of the work of the Security Service, SIS (Secret Intelligence Service) and GCHQ (Government Communications Headquarters) in fulfilling their functions. The figures are, however of interest and I have included them in the confidential annex to this report.”
North Korea: Sanctions
Mr. Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the Government's policy is on new UN sanctions on North Korea following its recent satellite launch and decision to withdraw co-operation with the International Atomic Energy Agency; and if he will make a statement. [270653]
David Miliband: The Government have joined international partners in condemning North Korea's satellite launch on 5 April 2009. The launch was in contravention of UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1718 (2006), and the subsequent decision to expel the International Atomic Energy Agency and US monitors working at Yongbyon was completely unjustified. The UN Security Council issued a strong presidential statement on 13 April 2009, and we following up with partners in the Sanctions Committee set up by UNSCR 1718. Sanctions are an important part of a wider framework of measures which, taken together, increase pressure on North Korea to cease its pursuit of weapons of mass destruction. In contacts with the North Korean government in London and Pyongyang, we continue to urge restraint and encourage them to re-engage with the six party talks process.
Sri Lanka: Politics and Government
Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with representatives of the Sri Lankan government in respect of the political situation in that country; and if he will make a statement. [271057]
Bill Rammell [holding answer 24 April 2009]: We are in regular discussions with the Sri Lankan Government about the urgent humanitarian situation in northern Sri Lanka. My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister telephoned President Rajapakse on 21 April 2009 to press for a renewed and longer pause in fighting to allow civilians to leave and for humanitarian supplies to be delivered.
My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary spoke to Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Bogollagama on 23 April 2009. He remains actively engaged with his international counterparts, and the UN, in pressing for a renewed pause in righting. The Foreign Secretary also made a written ministerial statement on 22 April 2009, Official Report, column 17WS.
UN World Conference Against Racism
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what steps he (a) has taken and (b) plans to take at the United Nations in respect of statements about the state of Israel made by the President of Iran at the UN Durban 2 anti-racism conference; and if he will make a statement; [271442]
(2) what discussions (a) he (b) Ministers and (c) officials in his Department plan to have with governments of Arab states on the statements about the state of Israel made by the President of Iran at the UN Durban 2 anti-racism conference; and if he will make a statement. [271443]
Bill Rammell: The UK condemns the hate-filled rhetoric of President Ahmadinejad and deems it offensive, inflammatory and utterly unacceptable. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary reiterated this in his press statement of 20 April 2009 in response to President Ahmadinejad’s statement at the Durban Review Conference in Geneva that day. A copy of the statement may be found on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office website at:
We will continue to make our views clear at all levels in discussions with UN members and other states around the world.
Zimbabwe: Politics and Government
Mr. Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of progress towards (a) democratic reform and (b) human rights reform in Zimbabwe since the formation of the coalition government; and if he will make a statement. [270654]
David Miliband:
We are encouraged by the new Government’s stated commitment to reform, such as the drafting of a new constitution, greater media freedom, respect for the rule of law and opening up democratic space. It is important that those commitments are
implemented as soon as possible. We have seen little progress towards respect for human rights on the ground. Although political detainees have been released, they have been subject to extremely strict bail conditions. Some continue to be harassed by government officials. Violent farm seizures have escalated since the formation of the transitional government, despite the appointment by Prime Minister Tsvangirai of a ministerial team to investigate the abuses. In some cases, members of the police have been fully involved in targeting the farmers and their labourers.
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