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Lord Kennet asked Her Majesty's Government:
Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: We do not endorse a "Greater Albania". We support a political process for Kosovo which builds on the Rambouillet Accords and fully respects existing international borders.
Lord Bethell asked Her Majesty's Government:
Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: Sir John Freeland was first elected as the member of the European Court of Human Rights in respect of the United Kingdom on 23 April 1991. He was re-elected on 4 February 1992 and served in that capacity until all the judges of that court relinquished office upon the entry into force of Protocol 11 to the European Convention on Human Rights on 1 November 1998.
On that date, the newly elected Court of Human Rights took office, on which the judge elected in respect of the United Kingdom is Sir Nicolas Bratza. However, since Sir Nicolas had previously taken part, as a member of the Commission of Human Rights, in the case of Matthews v. United Kingdom, he withdrew from the Court for this case. Sir John Freeland was on 9 October 1998 nominated as judge ad hoc.
Lord Steel of Aikwood asked Her Majesty's Government:
Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: It is established practice under Section 1(c) of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information not to disclose or discuss information received in confidence from foreign Governments.
Lord Steel of Aikwood asked Her Majesty's Government:
Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: Our long established policy has been to allow Iraqi nationals access to their frozen funds to meet expenditure of a humanitarian nature, such as living and medical expenses, whilst they are in the UK. However, it would be contrary to the UN resolutions to make these funds available to Iraqi nationals in Iraq.
Lord Jenkins of Putney asked Her Majesty's Government:
Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: NATO has clearly set out its conditions for a cessation of military action. President Milosevic must:
Lord Jenkins of Putney asked Her Majesty's Government:
Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: The highest priority for the Conference on Disarmament (CD) in 1999 is that negotiations on a fissile material cut-off treaty should begin in earnest. This is the internationally agreed next step towards nuclear disarmament.
We are working for the re-establishment at the CD of the Ad Hoc Committee set up in 1998 for this purpose.
Lord Jopling asked Her Majesty's Government:
Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: The obligation to clean up abandoned work sites in the Antarctic Treaty
area, is held under Annex III of the Environmental Protocol to the Antarctic Treaty. No timetable for clean-up is set, however. The UK, through the British Antarctic Survey (BAS), had already removed significant quantities of waste from such sites even before the Protocol entered into force. BAS's current waste management practices fully conform with the requirements of the Protocol.South Georgia lies outside the Antarctic Treaty area. It is not therefore bound by Antarctic Treaty regulations. Nevertheless the whaling stations on the Island are Crown Property. A major clean-up was undertaken in 1991-92. Due to concerns over further deterioration of the stations, a survey has been carried out this austral summer, with a view to further clean-up. The findings of that survey are awaited and will be incorporated into the Environmental Management Plan for the island which the Government of South Georgia will publish in the autumn.
Clean-up of the Whaling Station area on Deception Island is complicated by the fact that several Treaty Parties are involved and that the site has been designated as an Historic Site and Monument under the Antarctic Treaty. Nevertheless the UK has already mounted two major clean-up campaigns in Whalers' Bay on Deception and, in view of ongoing wind damage to the buildings, consideration will be given to further clean-up. A survey of the site was undertaken in January this year.
The materials at Holluschickie Bay on James Ross Island are not believed to be British.
Lord Lester of Herne Hill asked Her Majesty's Government:
Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: The responsibility for writing the United Kingdom's periodic reports under the six UN core human rights instruments lies with the United Kingdom Government. The reports serve as the basis for a continuing dialogue between the Government and the respective Treaty Monitoring Bodies. The views of Parliament are of course taken into account in the preparation of the reports.
Lord Lester of Herne Hill asked Her Majesty's Government:
Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: The United Kingdom's periodic reports to the six UN Treaty Monitoring Bodies are available in the Libraries of the House. They are produced in the UK and published as UN documents. These are available on the UN office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights' website (www.unhchr.ch). The United Kingdom's response to recommendations made by the Treaty Monitoring Bodies are usually made in the context of the next periodic reports.
Lord Lester of Herne Hill asked Her Majesty's Government:
Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: We intend to be among the first 60 states to ratify the Court's Statute. We shall introduce the necessary legislation as soon as the parliamentary timetable allows.
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