§ 15. Mr. Andrew Robathan (Blaby)If she will make a statement on United Kingdom trade relations with Kyrgyzstan. [40967]
§ The Minister for Small Firms, Trade and Industry (Mrs. Barbara Roche)Trade relations with Kyrgyzstan are the warmest they have been since the country achieved independence. The country is preparing for clear and rapid integration into the global economy and we fully support its efforts to join the World Trade Organisation on the right terms.
The Prime Minister of Kyrgyzstan is in London with a large delegation of Ministers for an important investment conference and I shall be meeting him and his colleagues for discussions later this afternoon.
§ Mr. RobathanI am delighted that the Minister is meeting the Prime Minister of Kyrgyzstan today. I know that that Prime Minister and his colleagues in the Kyrgyz Parliament and Government are grateful for the support they have received from this Government and the 515 previous Government as the country comes out of its past in the Soviet Union. Will the Minister confirm whether export credit guarantees now cover Kyrgyzstan, and whether the know-how fund can be used to greater effect there?
§ Mrs. RocheI should be interested in any representations that the hon. Gentleman might care to make to my ministerial colleagues and me about the use of the know-how fund. As regards export cover, officials from the Export Credits Guarantee Department visited the country last month to review the position. The review will take some months and it would be unwise to predict the outcome.
§ Mr. Tam Dalyell (Linlithgow)Given the importance of Kyrgyzstan—especially in light of this morning's 516 conference, attended by many in British industry—and that country's commitment to democracy, and given the fact that the Kazakh capital is moving from Almaty, will the Government reflect on whether it would be wise to have an embassy with trade officials in Bishkek as separate from the embassy now covering both Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan?
§ Mrs. RocheI am glad that my hon. Friend found the conference so useful. From what we understand, it was a great success. On the specific question he asked, we have no plans at present to move diplomatic representation from Almaty, so cover for the country will continue as it is. In the longer term, we will take into account my hon. Friend's representations.