| Previous Section | Back to Table of Contents | Lords Hansard Home Page |
Iraq: Sanctions Exemptions
Viscount Waverley asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What are the procedures by which the UN-Iraq Sanctions Committee reaches decisions on applications under the Oil for Food programme or under other humanitarian programmes.[HL1364]
Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The UN-Iraq Sanctions Committee established by United Nations Security Council Resolution 661, comprising all
members of the UN Security Council, reaches decisions on applications under the Oil for Food programme or under other humanitarian programmes by consensus in accordance with the relevant resolutions on Iraq. A significant number of applications, for essential civilian needs, medical supplies and foodstuffs are circulated under a no objection procedure and medicines are generally exempt from committee approval.Under the terms of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1284, it has been agreed that an even wider range of humanitarian items will no longer require Sanctions Committee approval. These items include foodstuffs, pharmaceutical and medical supplies, medical equipment and educational items. These items require notification to the UN's Office of the Iraq Programme.
Viscount Waverley asked Her Majesty's Government:
- In the most recent year for which figures are available, (a) how many applications were made to the UN-Iraq Sanctions Committee under the Oil for Food programme or under other humanitarian programmes; (b) how many of these applications were approved; (c) how many were refused; (d) how many are still outstanding; (e) what was the average length of time taken to consider each application.[HL1365]
Baroness Scotland of Asthal: Between December 1998 and 6 March 2000, 2,443 applications were submitted to the UN Iraq Sanctions Committee under the Oil for Food programme. One of these applications was refused. The Committee raised no objection to 1,883 of these applications and additional information was requested on 560 applications.
Detailed information on all Oil for Food applications submitted over the last year can be found on the UN website at http://www.un.org/Depts/oip.html
During the period 1 August 1998 to 20 November 1999, over 6,000 applications were received for humanitarian goods outside the Oil for Food programme. Of these 2,654 were approved, 427 were placed on hold for further information and 2,823 were refused as the Committee considered that the applications were not consistent with the relevant resolutions on Iraq. Some applications were withdrawn or nullified.
Medical supplies and food applications are circulated under a no objections procedure within two business days; other humanitarian supplies within seven business days. Under the terms of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1284, it has been agreed that a wide range of humanitarian items will no longer require Sanctions Committee approval. These items include foodstuffs, pharmaceutical and medical supplies, medical equipment and educational items. These items require notification to the UN's Office of the Iraq Programme.
Sudan: Chemical Weapons Allegation
Lord Ahmed asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether tests that were conducted on blood and urine samples collected by personnel of Operation Lifeline Sudan and provided to the United Nations confirmed allegations that the government of Sudan had used chemical weapons in southern Sudan in July 1999.[HL1371]
Baroness Scotland of Asthal: In October last year, the UN Secretary General's spokesman announced that blood and urine samples from people in southern Sudan complaining of burning sensations had been sent for analysis to the Center for Disease Control, an independent laboratory in Atlanta. The results of the measurements, as reported to the United Nations, indicated no evidence of exposure to chemicals.
Angola: Oil Revenue and Arms Purchases
Lord Ahmed asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they have any evidence that oil revenues are being used by the government of Angola for the purchase of arms.[HL1396]
Baroness Scotland of Asthal: Oil accounts for approximately 80 per cent of Angolan government revenue. Defence spending forms the largest part of the Angolan budget. There is no doubt that oil revenues are used to fund the purchase of arms.
Ministerial Appointments
Lord Pearson of Rannoch asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether any Ministers have expressed sympathy, support or understanding for the communist regimes in China, North Korea or the former Soviet Union before they took office; and, if so, whether the appointment of these Ministers is consistent with government policy towards Austria.[HL1403]
Baroness Scotland of Asthal: Ministerial appointments are always consistent with government policy.
Act of Union: Bicentenary
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Further to the Written Answer by the Baroness Scotland of Asthal on 29 February (WA 62), why the Foreign and Commonwealth Office answers for that policy area.[HL1433]
Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office consulted other government departments, including the Cabinet Office and the Northern Ireland Office before replying to this Question. Among factors taken into account in giving the previous answer on 29 February were the
Government's overall policy towards marking anniversaries of this kind; the current political situation in Northern Ireland; and our relations with the Irish Government. The last of these factors explains why the FCO took the lead in answering this question.
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What support and advice has been offered to the range of organisations in the Irish Republic which are proposing to mark the bicentenary of the Act of Union between Great Britain and Ireland which created the United Kingdom.[HL1409]
Baroness Scotland of Asthal: We have not been approached by, nor are aware of, any organisations in the Irish Republic who are proposing to mark the bicentenary of the Act of Union.
Kosovo: Bar Human Rights Committee's Report
Lord Hylton asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What representations they or UNMIK have received from the Bar Human Rights Committee about justice in Kosovo.[HL1441]
Baroness Scotland of Asthal: We have received the Bar Human Rights Committee's 16 February report on Kosovo 'Kosova 2000--Justice not Revenge'. We are in touch with its authors about how to take forward its recommendations.
Kosovo: Measures to Strengthen Legal System
Lord Hylton asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether the European Convention on Human Rights applies in Kosovo; and whether they will seek to ensure that its provisions concerning the fairness of trials will be upheld in that territory.[HL1442]
Baroness Scotland of Asthal: Regulation No. 1999/24 issued by the UN Secretary-General's Special Representative (SRSG) for Kosovo specifies that among the internationally recognised human rights standards to be observed by public bodies in
Kosovo is the 1950 European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms and its Protocols. The UN Mission in Kosovo attaches high priority to the fair conduct of trials. As part of its efforts to ensure this, the SRSG has issued a new regulation (2000/6) on the appointment of international judges and prosecutors to strengthen the working of the legal system in Kosovo.Kosovo: War and Ethnic Crimes Court
Lord Hylton asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they are satisfied with the proposed composition of the Kosovo Court for War Crimes and Ethnically Motivated Crimes.[HL1443]
Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The latest report on Kosovo from the UN Secretary-General described UNMIK's efforts to establish a war and ethnic crimes court. The Government support this proposal, in particular the intention that the court should involve international as well as local representatives.
Kosovo: Police Service
Lord Hylton asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What progress is being made towards the creation of a sufficiently large and well-trained police service in Kosovo.[HL1444]
Baroness Scotland of Asthal: Good progress has been made so far. Three hundred and forty-nine recruits have graduated from the OSCE Police School and a further 250 recruits are currently undertaking their training. Following their academic training, each recruit will receive a further 17 weeks of field training with an UNMIK police officer, and an additional 80 hours of advanced classroom training. Having successfully completed the three phases of instruction, the recruit is eligible for certification and independent assignment.
The OSCE training mandate is to develop and deliver democratically oriented, basic police training for approximately 3,500 locally recruited students within the next 16 months. On completion of the refurbishment of the Police School, it is anticipated that 500 students will be housed and trained at the same time.
| Back to Table of Contents | Lords Hansard Home Page |