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Written Answers
Wednesday, 27th January 1999.
Western Sahara: Referendum
Lord Steel of Aikwood asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Following the failure of the United Nations to hold the referendum last month, what is their current policy on Western Sahara.[HL488]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean): Her Majesty's Government were disappointed that the referendum in the Western Sahara had to be postponed until December 1999. The UN Secretary General recently visited the region and presented to all the parties involved a package of proposals intended to advance the referendum process. The Polisario, Algeria and Mauritania have all accepted this package and we hope that Morocco also will soon accept. We fully support the UN's efforts to find a just and durable settlement to this dispute. We are working with our EU partners, within the Friends of the Western Sahara Group at the UN and at the Security Council to encourage Morocco to rally to the consensus on the next steps in the process.
Nuclear Disarmament
Lord Jenkins of Putney asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they have considered the proposals advocated in Fast Track to Zero Nuclear Weapons by the Under-Secretary General of the United Nations.[HL493]
Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: Her Majesty's Government are aware of the proposals advocated in Fast Track to Zero Nuclear Weapons. We wish to see a safer world in which there is no place for nuclear weapons, and remain ready to support measures that will make a practical contribution to advancing nuclear disarmament.
Lord Jenkins of Putney asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they have received a message on behalf of the non-nuclear weapon states asking them to start work immediately on the practical steps and negotiations required for the achievement of a nuclear weapon-free world: whether they have replied to any such message; and if so, what was their response.[HL494]
Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: Her Majesty's Government have not directly received any such message. We are, however, aware of recent calls from the "New Agenda Coalition" of states and others for progress towards nuclear disarmament. We remain ready to support measures that will make a practical contribution to achieving that goal.
Iraq
Lord Jenkins of Putney asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Why the enforcement of Security Council decisions on Iraq has fallen to the United States and the United Kingdom alone.[HL637]
Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: The Security Council is united in insisting that Iraq complies fully with its obligations under the relevant resolutions, and in believing that it has failed to do so. In the case of the military action against Iraq in December, we had many offers of support from allies, but in the event it was not practical for other nations to take part.
Turkey: Newspaper Ban
Lord Hylton asked Her Majesty's Government:
- In view of the European Union's interest in human rights in Turkey, whether they will ask the Government of Turkey why distribution, in the provinces of Turkey under martial law, of the newspaper Yeni Evrensel, was banned on 4 January; and whether the ban is intended to be permanent.[HL504]
Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: Her Majesty's Government are aware of the ban on the distribution of Evrensel that came into force on 3 January. We will raise this issue with the Turkish authorities and ask them to clarify the reasons for this measure. We continue to reiterate to the Turkish authorities the need to promote freedom of expression.
Sudan
Lord McNair asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether there were Ugandan military incursions into southern Sudan in September 1998.[HL507]
Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: Her Majesty's Government is aware of rumours of Ugandan military incursions into southern Sudan in September 1998, but we do not have any corroborating evidence that these took place.
Lord McNair asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Further to the Written Answer by Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean on 14 December 1998
(WA 134) with regard to the alleged massacre of
34 traders in Renk in Upper Nile State, Sudan, in November 1998, whether they now have a clearer picture of what occurred.[HL508]
Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: Her Majesty's Government are still pursuing enquiries to find out more about this incident.
Lord McNair asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they have sought the agreement of other members of the European Union to their support for the American destruction of the al-Shifa medicine factory in Khartoum in August 1998; and if so, with what results.[HL505]
Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: In addition to the UK, a number of EU partners issued statements after the US action against targets in Afghanistan and Sudan in August 1998. There was no initiative to issue a joint EU statement.
General Pinochet
Lord Lamont of Lerwick asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether, when the Chilean Ambassador telephoned the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on Friday 16 October to discuss the departure of General Pinochet for the United Kingdom, they were aware that a warrant for General Pinochet's arrest was pending.[HL529]
Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: No.
Lord Lamont of Lerwick asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether Scotland Yard, the Metropolitan Police, or any other part of the police force rang the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on Thursday 15 October to ask whether General Pinochet had diplomatic immunity.[HL530]
Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: The Metropolitan Police contacted the Foreign and Commonwealth Office about Senator Pinochet's diplomatic immunity on 16 October.
Arms Sales to Indonesia
Lord Alton asked Her Majesty's Government:
- (a) what is the total value of the 60 new export licences granted to British firms selling arms to Indonesia since the last general election and which companies are involved; (b) whether they will list the arms purchased by Indonesia in the past two years; and (c) what consideration is being given to the continuation of their policy in this area.[HL532]
Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: It would entail disproportionate cost to determine the total value of licences granted since 2 May 1997 for the export of military goods to Indonesia. Some licences are used only in part, while others may not be used at all.
The Government are soon to publish their annual report on strategic export controls. It will list by country of destination the number of export licences issued in each equipment category, and give details of the military equipment for which licences have been granted.
All licence applications for defence equipment to Indonesia will be considered case by case, using the same criteria we introduced which apply to all other countries.
UK Consulate-General, Jerusalem: Staff's Cars
Lord Kennet asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What is their view of the recent conduct of Israeli tax authorities who removed employees' cars from the British Consulate in occupied Jerusalem on grounds of the Consulate's "tax arrears".[HL542]
Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: The issue is the tax status of the locally-engaged staff in our Jerusalem Consulate-General, not the Consulate itself.
The Israeli tax authorities' action was precipitate. Our Consulate-General protested immediately to the Israeli authorities and the affected staff received their cars back the following day.
Public Interest Immunity
Lord Avebury asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they will waive public interest immunity in relation to evidence in the possession of the security services which may have a bearing on the conviction of two persons found guilty of conspiracy to bomb the Israeli Embassy in 1994.[HL563]
Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: I refer the noble Lord to the Answer given by my noble friend Lord Williams of Mostyn on 11 January (WA 8-9).
UN Human Rights Commission: EU Initiatives
Lord Avebury asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What proposals they have made to the Presidency of the European Union for matters to be raised at the forthcoming meeting of the United Nations Human Rights Commission; and whether existing European Union mechanisms allow for inputs by non-governmental organisations to the formulation of European strategy at the Commission.[HL614]
Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: Her Majesty's Government will contribute to the preparation of EU initiatives at the Commission on Human Rights in meetings of the CSFP Human Rights Working Group in February and March.
Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) are welcome to provide input through the EU Presidency or member states. My honourable friend the Minister of State, Mr. Lloyd, will be hosting a briefing session for UK-based NGOs on 4 February to hear their views.
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