HC Deb 12 November 2003 vol 413 cc360-1W
Dr. Tonge

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with his colleagues in the EU concerning the expansion of Israeli settlements in the occupied territories. [136212]

Mr. Rammell

My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary discussed continuing settlement expansion with his EU counterparts at the General Affairs and External Relations Council in Luxembourg on 13 October. The European Council Declarations of 17 October called on Israel to reverse its settlement policy and dismantle settlement outposts.

We fully support the roadmap's requirement that Israel should immediately freeze all settlement activity, including "natural growth" and dismantle the outposts erected since March 2001. The continuing expansion of settlements in the Occupied Territories threatens the basis for a viable Palestinian state and makes a negotiated settlement more difficult to reach.

Dr. Tonge

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has made to the US Administration concerning Israeli activity to expand settlements in the occupied territories. [136213]

Mr. Rammell

My noble Friend the Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean expressed our concerns about Israeli settlement activity to the US Assistant Secretary of State, William Burns, on 24 September. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for International Development also raised the matter with Elliott Abrams, Senior Director of the US National Security Council on 8 October. Our embassy in Washington continues to discuss Israeli settlements in the occupied territories as part of regular discussions with the US Administration on the Middle East Peace Process.

Dr. Tonge

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Israeli Government concerning its efforts to expand settlements and encourage new outposts in the occupied territories. [136214]

Mr. Rammell

My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary expressed our concerns about settlement expansion to the Israeli Prime Minister, Ariel Sharon, when he visited London on 14 July, and the Israeli Foreign Minister, Silvan Shalom, on 18 July. My noble Friend the Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean reiterated these representations when she met Mr. Shalom in Jerusalem on 30 September. She also raised settlements and Israeli authorisation of settlement outposts with Yosef Paritzky, the Israel Minister for National Infrastructure on 29 October.