HC Deb 29 March 2000 vol 347 cc330-1
6. Mr. Harry Cohen (Leyton and Wanstead)

What assistance Her Majesty's Government are providing to assist rebuilding in Chechnya. [115435]

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for International Development (Mr. George Foulkes)

Our assistance to the north Caucasus is focused on meeting emergency humanitarian needs. We have already contributed £1.4 million to the United Nations and to the International Committee of the Red Cross, and about 800,000 euros through our share of the assistance provided by ECHO, the European Commission Humanitarian Office. I am now able to announce an initial UK contribution of $500,000—which is about a third of a million pounds—in response to the latest UN appeal. We stand ready to consider any further requests for assistance.

Mr. Cohen

I welcome that answer, but the international community did precious little as civilians in Chechnya were rendered homeless and destitute and made refugees in neighbouring republics and states. I know that it was a dangerous situation, but not upsetting the Russians also seemed to inform western policy. Now that the war is over, will the Government offer direct aid to the Chechens and, together with other nations, lean on the Russians to restore Chechnya and say to them, "We know that you can destroy, but can you rebuild?"

Mr. Foulkes

Both Britain and our European partners condemned the use of indiscriminate force in Chechnya and called for a political process to end the conflict. We have also called for a full and transparent investigation into the allegations of human rights abuses. My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister made that clear to President Putin when he met him in St. Petersburg, and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs made that clear to the Russian Foreign Minister. Our concern is humanitarian assistance, and we shall deal with that as sympathetically as possible. My hon. Friend is quite right about reconstruction—the principal responsibility rests with Russia.

Mr. David Atkinson (Bournemouth, East)

Given that the Putin Government now appear to be committed to the reconstruction of Chechnya, will the Government, together with the European Union, offer assistance and humanitarian aid for the restoration of the Chechen economy and infrastructure?

Mr. Foulkes

It is clearly far too early to assess what will be needed and how it will be paid for. That is something that we shall have to consider. At the moment, our first priority is to deal with the 180,000 internally displaced people in Ingushetia and those who are suffering in other parts of the north Caucasus. We have a strong and important job to do in that connection. That is our immediate concern.

Ann Clwyd (Cynon Valley)

Is my hon. Friend aware of the appalling reports received by Amnesty International about the so-called filtration camps where Chechen refugees are held by the Russians and where torture and rape are said to be prevalent? Will he ask the Russian Government to make sure that those appalling human rights abuses come to an end? Will he request that the humanitarian agencies of the International Committee of the Red Cross and medical assistance are allowed into those camps immediately?

Mr. Foulkes

We are deeply concerned about the reports of human rights abuses. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary telephoned the Russian Foreign Minister to ask directly for an investigation into the allegations of human rights abuses in Chechnya. I will investigate the particular instances that my hon. Friend has mentioned and write to her about them.

Sir Sydney Chapman (Chipping Barnet)

Have the Government been told or have they made any estimate of the number of civilians killed in the Chechen conflict?

Mr. Foulkes

I am not able to answer the hon. Gentleman's question; it is not a matter for the Department for International Development.