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Written Answers
Thursday, 17th January 2002.
Eritrea
Lord Avebury asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What representations they have made to the Government of Eritrea about the incommunicado detention of 11 persons since 19 September. [HL2048]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Amos): On 25 September FCO officials called in the Eritrean Ambassador to London to protest at the actions of Eritrean Government and pressed for the immediate release of all those detained and the restoration of the independent press. I issued a public statement on 27 September expressing the Government's dismay over the recent events in Eritrea.
The EU protested collectively on 28 September when the Italian Ambassador to Eritrea, in his capacity as the local presidency, carried out an EU demarche on the Minister for Foreign Affairs. Later the same day the Italian Ambassador was expelled. We and our EU partners protested to the Eritreans. EU heads of mission to Asmara were subsequently recalled.
At the EU's Africa Working Group Meeting in October partners agreed that the heads of mission would only return to Asmara once President Issayas had agreed to meet them to discuss the EU's concerns. However, with no movement from the Eritreans, the EU presidency subsequently proposed the return of heads of missions in an attempt to secure a call locally. The heads of mission returned to Asmara in the week beginning 5 November.
On 23 November EU heads of mission met Issayas to discuss the internal situation and prospects for EU/Eritrea relations. Issayas was unrepentant and resisted any discussion of Eritrea's internal situation.
With our EU partners we are looking at further options to encourage the Eritrean Government to revise their position.
Firearms Control Protocol
Lord Hylton asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What support, either bilateral or multilateral, will be given to help to implement the protocol on firearms control, signed in Malawi in August 2001.[HL2204]
Baroness Amos: The Southern Africa Development Community Protocol on the Control of Firearms, Ammunition and Other Related Materials is yet to be agreed by all 14 SADC member states. Angola is the only SADC country yet to sign the protocol. It is expected to sign shortly.
The UK Government have been supporting the development of this protocol indirectly through the funding they provide to the British Non-Governmental Organisation Saferworld. Support for Saferworld dates back to 1998 when we provided funds for a meeting of officials from the EU and SADC which led to the agreement of the Southern Africa Action Programme on Light Arms and Illicit Trafficking. The UK has since provided support to Saferworld for research into the small arms problem in Southern Africa and for the facilitation of meetings of officials from SADC countries to assist in the development of the protocol.
Once the protocol is signed by all SADC countries the UK will consider ways that we might support its implementation, at both the bilateral and multilateral level, through the joint DfID, FCO and MoD Global Conflict Prevention Pool Small Arms and Light Weapons Programme.
UN Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons
Lord Hylton asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What was the outcome of the Review Conference for the United Nations Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons which was held in December 2001; and, if the conference had to be postponed, what their objectives will be when it is eventually held.[HL2205]
Baroness Amos: The review conference concluded its work on 21 December 2001. The states parties to the convention took a number of decisions, which are set out in the final declaration of the conference. They agreed, inter alia, to extend the scope of application of the convention to cover non-international armed conflicts; to establish a group of governmental experts to discuss ways and means to address the issue of explosive remnants of war and to explore the issue of mines other than anti-personnel mines; and to consult on possible options to promote compliance with the convention and its annexed protocols. The outcome of the group's discussions during 2002 will be presented at a meeting of the states parties in December.
Afghanistan
Lord Hylton asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What steps they are taking to ensure that difficulties already experienced in getting access for food supplies to the remoter areas of Afghanistan are overcome; and whether they expect this to be done before the end of the winter.[HL2241]
Baroness Amos: With our assistance, the UN, under the leadership of the World Food Programme, is maximising food delivery through both road and air routes and is prioritising deliveries to areas where access may become more difficult over the continuing winter, including the Central Highlands, the Panjshir
valley and the north-east of the country. It has deployed specialist equipment and personnel to keep routes to these areas open as long as possible.However, due to severe weather conditions and continuing security concerns in some isolated areas of the country, there may still be pockets of unmet needs where vulnerable people cannot be reached. WFP and other humanitarian agencies will continue to do what they can over coming months to overcome these obstacles and deliver life-saving assistance to those in need.
Suspected Terrorists: Decisions on Extradition to Stand Trial
Lord Lester of Herne Hill asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they will ensure that suspected terrorists are not extradited to a requesting state to face trial for a terrorist offence before a tribunal that fails to satisfy the requirements for a fair trial of Article 6 of the European Convention on Human Rights, Article 14 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.[HL2214]
The Minister of State, Home Office (Lord Rooker): Any decision to order a fugitive's surrender to stand trial is taken with full regard to the United Kingdom's international obligations.
Criminal Compensation
Lord Hylton asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What amount of criminal compensation has been paid since 1994, following convictions for sexual offences based on uncorroborated allegations; and whether they will review the justification for such payments.[HL2240]
Lord Rooker: Where a court of law, having considered all the evidence presented to it, has found that a person named in an indictment as the victim of alleged sexual abuse was beyond reasonable doubt the victim of that crime, the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) and, where appropriate, the Criminal Injuries Compensation Appeals Panel (CICAP) would not normally question the nature of the evidence on which that finding was based. For this and other reasons the statistics the noble Lord seeks are not available.
In determining eligibility for criminal injuries compensation, CICA and CICAP seek to establish whether, on the balance of probabilities, the applicant has been the blameless victim of a crime of violence such as sexual abuse.
Where a court has found beyond reasonable doubt that the person was the victim of a crime of violence, CICA and CICAP would not normally be expected to reach a different conclusion on the balance of probabilities.
Balkans: Small Arms Proliferation
Lord Hylton asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they consider that the Special Coordinator of the Stability Pact for South-East Europe has sufficient staff and resources to prevent trading and proliferation of small arms in the whole Balkan region; and, if not, what proposals they will make.[HL2202]
The Minister for Trade (Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean): The international community is active in this area, with several donor states supporting work to combat small arms and light weapons (SALW) proliferation. For its part, the stability pact is establishing a regional SALW clearinghouse in Belgrade under the auspices of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). This is a significant contribution to the overall effort. Her Majesty's Government are providing core funding of £426,000 to UNDP's Global Weapons Collection, Management and Destruction Programme to support the establishment of the clearinghouse and its operation.
Lord Hylton asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether the weapons destruction facility in Kosovo will be kept open with a view to serving neighbouring countries. [HL2203]
Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: The weapons destruction facility near Pristina was set up with support from the UK and Norway in 1999 and has destroyed over 8,500 weapons. Further funding has now been offered by the Dutch Government to ensure that this facility can continue to operate in 2002. No neighbouring country has yet requested use of the facility. Local destruction may be more efficient and more secure. Weapons surrendered to the British-led Task Force Harvest in Macedonia last year, for example, were destroyed in Macedonia.
European Union: Forthcoming Council Business
Baroness Gale asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What is the forthcoming business in the Council of the European Union for January, and what are the major European Union events for the period between 31 January and June 2002. [HL2351]
Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: Please see attached.
- January
- 10 Brussels: Fisheries Council
- 17 Brussels: Budget Council (Ev)
- 21 Brussels: Eurogroup (Evening)
- 21–22 Brussels: Agriculture Council
- 22 Brussels: ECOFIN
- 25–26 Brussels: Meeting of Employment Ministers (Ministerial Informal)
- 28–29 Brussels: General Affairs Council
| Date | Venue | |
| February | ||
| 6–7 | Valladolid | Ministerial Seminar on Democracy and Development |
| 9–10 | Brussels | Gymnich (Ministerial Informal) |
| 11 | Brussels | Eurogroup (Evening) |
| 14 | Brussels | Education and Youth Council |
| 14–15 | Brussels | Justice and Home Affairs Council (Ministerial Informal) |
| 18–19 | Brussels | General Affairs Council |
| 18–19 | Brussels | Agriculture Council |
| 22–23 | Brussels | Telecoms and Information Society Council (Ministerial Informal) |
| 28 | Brussels | Justice and Home Affairs Council |
| March | ||
| 1 | Brussels | Justice and Home Affairs Council (Evening) |
| 1 | Brussels | Internal Market, Consumers and Tourism Council |
| 4 | Brussels | Eurogroup (Evening) |
| 5 | Brussels | ECOFIN |
| 7 | Brussels | Employment and Social Affairs Council |
| 11 | Brussels | Research Council |
| 11–12 | Brussels | General Affairs Council |
| 15–16 | Barcelona | European Council |
| 18–19 | Brussels | Agriculture Council |
| 21 | Brussels | Environment |
| 23–24 | Brussels | Defence Ministers Meeting (Ministerial Informal) |
| 25–26 | Brussels | Transport and Telecom Council |
| 27–28 | Monterrey, Mexico | Financing and Development Conference |
| April | ||
| 5–6 | Luxembourg | Migrations Council (ASEM Ministerial Informal) |
| 8 | Luxembourg | Fisheries Council |
| 13–14 | Luxembourg | ECOFIN (Ministerial Informal) |
| 15–16 | Luxembourg | General Affairs Council |
| 22–23 | Valencia | Euromed Conference |
| 22–23 | Luxembourg | Agriculture Council |
| 25–26 | Luxembourg | Justice and Home Affairs Council |
| 27–30 | Luxembourg | Agriculture Council (Ministerial Informal) |
| May | ||
| 3–4 | Brussels | Tourism Council (Ministerial Informal) |
| 6 | Brussels | Eurogroup (Evening) |
| 7 | Brussels | ECOFIN |
| 9 | Europe Day | |
| 13 | Brussels | General Affairs Council with Defence Ministers |
| 17–18 | Madrid | EU-LAC Summit |
| 21 | Brussels | Internal Market, Consumers and Tourism Council |
| 23 | Brussels | Culture and Audio-visual Council |
| 24–26 | Brussels | Environment Council (Ministerial Informal) |
| 27–28 | Brussels | Agriculture Council |
| 30 | Brussels | Development Council |
| 30 | Brussels | Education and Youth Council |
| 31–1 June | Brussels | Transport Council (Ministerial Informal) |
| June | ||
| 3 | Brussels | Employment and Social Affairs Council |
| 3 | Brussels | Eurogroup (Evening) |
| 4 | Brussels | ECOFIN |
| 6–8 | Brussels | Foreign Affairs Council (ASEM Ministers) |
| 6–7 | Brussels | Industry and Energy Council |
| 10–11 | Brussels | General Affairs Council |
| 10–11 | Brussels | Agriculture Council |
| 11 | Brussels | Fisheries Council |
| 13–14 | Brussels | Justice and Home Affairs Council |
| 17–18 | Brussels | Transport and Telecom Council |
| 17–18 | Brussels | General Affairs Council |
| 21–22 | Seville | European Council |
| 24 | Brussels | General Affairs Council (Possible) |
| 24–25 | Brussels | Environment Council |
| 25 | Brussels | ECOFIN |
| 26 | Brussels | Health Council |
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