HC Deb 19 November 1998 vol 319 cc1113-4

My Government have taken a leading role in the European Union. They negotiated and signed the Treaty of Amsterdam which included provisions enabling the UK to opt into the social chapter. The United Kingdom has now ratified the Treaty. They took part in initial negotiations on the European Commission's Agenda 2000 proposals which included reform of the Common Agricultural Policy.

During the United Kingdom's Presidency of the European Union, efforts were made to promote employment and to improve competitiveness. Negotiations on enlargement were opened and good progress was made on key Presidency priorities for co-operation in the European Union, including the fight against drugs and crime, an effective external policy, economic reform and an agreement to a code of conduct on arms export. My Government oversaw the historic decision confirming that eleven Member States met the conditions for joining the single currency, as well as the establishment of the European Central Bank.

My Government have allocated additional resources to tackle global poverty and to promote sustainable development They are implementing the policies set out in the White Paper on International Development.

In May this year, the G8 Summit in Birmingham agreed measures to promote employability at home and the development of poorer countries abroad, help the environment and tackle international crime. They also successfully hosted an Asia-Europe meeting in April 1998 and the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Edinburgh in October 1997.

Vigorous action has been taken to protect the environment, and against terrorism, drugs, money laundering and organised crime. My Government played a leading part in securing agreement at the Kyoto Conference on Climate Change to commitments to binding reduction targets for greenhouse gas emissions.

The United Kingdom played a full part in the negotiations which led to the agreement in July to establish the International Criminal Court.

My Government put human rights at the centre of foreign policy and published the first Annual Report on Human Rights. They ratified the two Additional Protocols to the Geneva convention on the Protections of Victims of War, adopted an abolitionist stance on the death penalty, and took steps to prevent the export of torture equipment. They hosted a conference on Nazi Gold, and helped set up a relief fund for victims of Nazi persecution.

As evidence of their commitment to international peace and security, my Government passed legislation enabling the United Kingdom to ratify the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty and the Ottawa Convention banning anti personnel landmines. They will continue to urge all those who have not done so to adhere to these treaties.

Progress has also been made to reform and strengthen the United Nations.

My Government have worked to modernise our defence capability so that it matches the changing strategic setting. The Strategic Defence Review—the most far reaching reform of our armed forces since the war—reassessed our security interests and defence needs and provided the Armed Forces and all those who work in defence with a clear long-term vision. Arrangements for strong and modern defence based on the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation have been maintained and my Government played a major role in the decisions taken at NATO's Madrid Summit and in the steps taken to strengthen NATO's relationship with Russia, and they have notified the UK acceptance of the accession to the Alliance of the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland.