Examination of Witnesses (Questions 300
- 305)
TUESDAY 24 OCTOBER 2006
DR KIM
HOWELLS MP, MR
STEPHEN PATTISON,
MR CHRISTOPHER
YVON, MR
PAUL BENTALL
AND MR
PATRICK GUTHRIE
Q300 Lord Oakeshott of Seagrove Bay:
Do you think they have a realistic hope of succeeding in Zimbabwe?
Dr Howells: One of the problems with the imposition
of any sanctions is that you have to have regional neighbours
who are prepared to ...
Q301 Lord Oakeshott of Seagrove Bay:
We can all see that South Africa worked. That is why I am asking
the question. You are very good at restating my question. I would
like some answers.
Dr Howells: That is my answer. I do not think
they can be successful if the neighbouring countries are determined
to break them.
Q302 Lord Oakeshott of Seagrove Bay:
So why not face up to it and face facts?
Dr Howells: And do what?
Q303 Lord Oakeshott of Seagrove Bay:
Do not go down a route like that, which has no prospect of success.
It was quite clear when Tony Blair was laughed at at that conference
a few years ago that there was no regional support. So you face
facts and cut your losses.
Dr Howells: When you say face facts, I think
that there is always a case for trying to persuade South Africa
and other countries to change their own position on this. I do
not think their foreign policy is any more writ in stone than
anybody else's. I may be an optimist but I think you have to keep
making the case, otherwise what is it? It is surrender to a tyrant
like Mugabe.
Q304 Lord Sheppard of Didgemere:
We mentioned earlier on, in response to a question, the fact that
before imposing sanctions you should attempt to measure the likely
impact and so on. Presumably, that applies after the sanctions
are commenced and right the way through the period, so one knows
whether to discontinue them, and even after the event. For any
future policy you have to apply criteria to decide whether or
not sanctions have done anything, who has suffered, whether it
is the regime or the people- some of the questions we have asked.
Dr Howells: It follows on very much from that
question about Zimbabwe now, of course. I think if we look at
the Whitehall review which was held in 1998, if you remember,
the main conclusions were the need for sanctions to have clear
objectives, that they should be targeted to hit the regime rather
than the people, that they should include exemptions to minimise
humanitarian impact, and that there should be a clear exit strategy.
There is a need for effective arrangements for implementation—that
is very important—and they should avoid an unnecessary and
adverse impact on UK economic interests, which is also extremely
important. I would add that we often pursue measures which are
calibrated, and the most recent Security Council resolution imposing
sanctions concerning North Korea makes it clear that the Council
stands ready with a number of responses dependent upon North Korea's
behaviour, and that includes strengthening the measures but also
modifying them or suspending them or lifting them altogether.
So yes, I think we have to be ready to change and modify when
events dictate.
Q305 Lord MacDonald of Tradeston:
Minister, the EU has taken measures to counter the extra-territorial
application of sanctions by the United States. How is that working
out?
Dr Howells: The EC's regulation 2271/96 of 1996
sent a very important signal to the US that the EC intended to
protect its companies from the effects of US extra-territorial
legislation. This paved the way for the EU-US understanding which
was reached in 1998 that the terms of the Helms-Burton Act, the
Cuba sanctions in other words, and the Iran-Libya Sanctions Act
would not apply to European companies. Although these agreements
are limited in scope to the two Acts that are referred to, we
find that the vast majority of other cases can be resolved through
co-operation and dialogue with the US authorities. This is conducted
in the case of our Government by the DTI with the help of the
Foreign and Commonwealth office and especially through our embassy
in Washington.
Chairman: Thank you very much indeed
for coming along and giving us such full answers to the questions,
which has greatly helped us with our consideration of these very
important matters.
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