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10 Feb 1997 : Column WA1

Written Answers

Monday, 10th February 1997.

Bahrain: Shaikh al-Jamri

Lord Avebury asked Her Majesty's Government:

    Whether they will take any action in support of the appeal by the Centre for the Independence of Judges and Lawyers for the release of Judge Abdul Amir al-Jamri in Bahrain, and in particular, whether they will ask the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention to visit Bahrain to ascertain, if possible, how long the government intend to keep the judge and other persons in detention without charge or trial.

The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Chalker of Wallasey): We have seen the statement issued by the Centre for the Independence of Judges and Lawyers. Our Embassy in Bahrain are already making enquiries about Shaikh al-Jamri. We welcome the recent visit to Bahrain by the International Committee for the Red Cross and understand from the UN Centre for Human Rights that the Working Group is considering a visit to Bahrain.

Bosnia: Human Rights Report

Lord Avebury asked Her Majesty's Government:

    Whether they intend to respond to the detailed recommendations made in the report by Human Rights Watch/Helsinki. The Unindicted: Reaping the Rewards of Ethnic Cleansing, about obstruction of the Dayton Accords by the de facto authorities in the Republic Srpska, and particularly by Mr. Dragan Kijac, who is described as "Minister of the Interior", and if so, whether they will place a copy of the response in the Library of the House.

Baroness Chalker of Wallasey: We do not intend to respond to this report. The members of the Peace Implementation Council, meeting in London on 4th-5th December 1996, agreed that their willingness to devote further resources to Bosnia and Herzegovina depended upon a strengthened commitment from Bosnia's leaders to implementation of the Peace Agreement in all areas.

Turkey and Bosnia: Military Relations

Lord Kennet asked Her Majesty's Government:

    Whether the military relations between the Government of Turkey and the Government of Bosnia, or members of the Government of Bosnia, including those connected with the United States "Equip and Train" process, are fully transparent to them, and to other European Governments, as required by several of the organisations of which both the United Kingdom and Turkey are members.

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Baroness Chalker of Wallasey: I refer the noble Lord to the Answer I gave on 12th December 1996 (Hansard, vol. 576, col. WA 97-98).

NATO Enlargement: Alterations to Treaties

Lord Kennet asked Her Majesty's Government:

    Whether the Secretary-General of NATO has been authorised by other NATO Governments to discuss the future operation of the Treaties governing Intermediate Nuclear Forces in Europe and Conventional Forces in Europe, in the context of the proposed expansion eastwards of NATO.

Baroness Chalker of Wallasey: The Treaty on Intermediate Nuclear Forces is a bilateral issue between the United States and Russia. The adaption of the Treaty on Conventional Forces in Europe is being negotiated in Vienna by delegations of the 16 Allies and the other states parties, including Russia. It is natural for this subject to arise also in the NATO Secretary-General's discussion with the Russian Foreign Ministry.

Lord Kennet asked Her Majesty's Government:

    Whether the Secretary-General of NATO has been authorised by the United States to discuss with Russia the United States' proposed re-negotiation of the United States'--Russian ABM Treaty and prospects for the future of the Strategic Arms Limitation Treaties, in the context of the proposed expansion of NATO.

Baroness Chalker of Wallasey: The treaties referred to are bilateral issues between the United States and Russia. Any negotiation is not, therefore, a matter for the NATO Secretary-General.

Lord Kennet asked Her Majesty's Government:

    Whether the Secretary-General of NATO has been authorised by members of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe to discuss its new roles, given the implications for this organisation of the proposed NATO expansion eastwards.

Baroness Chalker of Wallasey: The NATO Secretary-General is negotiating about the relationship between NATO and Russia on the basis of a mandate agreed by the Alliance as a whole. This does not extend to matters which are the subject of bilateral, or multilateral treaties, or are proper to other organisations, which can only be dealt with by the contracting parties, or members.

NATO and EU Enlargement: Linkage

Lord Kennet asked Her Majesty's Government:

    What is their reaction to statements from the Government of Turkey that it sees NATO enlargement as "inextricably" linked with its own accession to the European Union (The Times, 31st January 1997).

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Baroness Chalker of Wallasey: We do not consider that the processes of NATO and EU enlargement are formally linked, however complementary they may be in their shared aim of enhancing stability across Europe. The Turkish Government are aware of this view.

NATO Enlargement: Costs

Lord Kennet asked Her Majesty's Government:

    Why has there been no work in NATO on the criteria for judging the acceptability of the costs of enlarging NATO.

Baroness Chalker of Wallasey: NATO is working intensively to ensure that enlargement achieves its basic goal--enhancing security and stability throughout the Euro-Atlantic area. That is the fundamental criterion for judging the acceptability of any costs which might arise. Between now and the July Summit in Madrid, NATO will undertake an analysis of the military factors associated with the accession of potential new members and the resource implications. This work will help to inform decisions on enlargement taken at the summit.

Turkey: Order for Battle Tanks

Lord Kennet asked Her Majesty's Government:

    Whether, in the light of (a) their disapproval of the possible purchase of anti-aircraft/anti-missile missiles from Russia by the Government of Cyprus; (b) the presence in Turkish-occupied Cyprus of Turkish armed forces, including tanks; and (c) Turkish suppression of the Kurdish minority in Turkey, they will discuss with the Governments of France, Germany and the United States the propriety of allowing firms to tender for a reputed $3 billion order from Turkey for 800 battle tanks.

Baroness Chalker of Wallasey: We have no plans to do so. Any British application to export battle tanks to Turkey would be considered in the light of established criteria, including the UN, EU and OSCE guidelines to which we are committed.

Continental Shelf

Lord Kennet asked Her Majesty's Government:

    Whether there are fewer nominations than positions in the next tranche of appointments to Institutions under the UN Law of the Sea Convention, particularly to the body concerned with definitions of the continental shelf, and whether the Institutions and the United Kingdom will not suffer unless some of the British experts who are available are nominated, which they cannot be if Her Majesty's Government has not ratified the convention by 5th February.

Baroness Chalker of Wallasey: The UN Convention on the Law of the Sea provides for a Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf comprising

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21 members. At the close of nominations for the election to the Commission, there were 26 candidates. There is no United Kingdom candidate. We shall be working closely with our partners to seek to ensure the election of the most competent experts in the fields of geology, geophysics and hydrography.

"Bloody Sunday": Release of Records

Lord Hylton asked Her Majesty's Government:

    Whether they will suspend the 30-year rule in respect of documents and other evidence concerning the death and injuries that occurred in Derry, Northern Ireland, on 30th January 1972.

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Northern Ireland Office (Baroness Denton of Wakefield): Following a request from solicitors acting for the "Bloody Sunday Justice Campaign" the Government reviewed all the records relating to the Widgery Tribunal and released all but one of these files in advance of their 30-year point. The Government have no plans to release the remaining papers, which are closed for 75 years for reasons of personal sensitivity.

Cormorants

Lord Mason of Barnsley asked Her Majesty's Government:

    What information they have about the "appropriate measures" being considered by the European Commission with a view to removing cormorants from Annex I (Protected) to the Birds Directive; and

    What representations they are making to the European Commission to have cormorants removed from Annex I (Protected) to the Birds Directive.

The Minister of State, Department of the Environment (Earl Ferrers): No proposal to remove the cormorant sub-species Phalacrocorax carbo sinensis from Annex I to the EC Wild Birds Directive has been received from the Commission.

The species of cormorant on Annex I to the Wild Birds Directive, Phalacrocorax carbo sinensis, is not prevalent in the United Kingdom. The Government have, therefore, made no representations to the Commission concerning the removal of this species from Annex I of the Wild Birds Directive.

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