§ 1. Ann Clwyd (Cynon Valley)What representations he has made to the Turkish Government on the treatment of political prisoners and human rights. [145033]
§ The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Mr. Keith Vaz)My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary and I both raise our concerns on Turkey's human rights record, including the treatment of political prisoners, in our contacts with our Turkish counterparts. We and European Union partners continue to have significant concerns about restrictions on freedom of expression, the incidence of torture and the statutory existence of the death penalty. These concerns were reflected in the accession partnership that received political agreement on 5 December. We raised our concerns about the recent prison operations in Turkey with the Turkish Foreign Minister on 11 January.
§ Ann ClwydIs my hon. Friend aware that a group of human rights activists have just returned to the United Kingdom from Turkey and that they report massive human rights abuses, particularly among the 1,200 political prisoners who are on hunger strike, some of whom are said to be close to death? Is he also aware that Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International have reported the ill-treatment of prisoners, particularly the raping of prisoners with truncheons? Will he confirm that a condition of Turkey's membership of the EU must be a huge improvement in its human rights conditions.
§ Mr. VazNo Member of the House has done more to champion the rights of minorities in Turkey than my hon. Friend. She deserves the thanks of the House for the visits that she has made and the way in which she eloquently raises issues of concern. I was aware that a group had just returned to the United Kingdom following a visit to Turkey, and I look forward to receiving and reading its report.
I assure my hon. Friend that we have raised these concerns with the Turkish authorities. Yesterday, I spoke to the Turkish ambassador and I invited him to meet my hon. Friend and any other Member who wishes to see him 782 this week to discuss these issues. I know that they are of such concern. I assure her that Turkey will not join the EU until it, like all other applicants, has met the Copenhagen criteria in full. That criteria applied to the United Kingdom and it applies to all other applicants.
As my hon. Friend has heard today, we agreed on 5 December that human rights was one of the points to be raised in discussions with Turkey. We will continue to raise the issue when appropriate.
§ Mr. Christopher Gill (Ludlow)May we have the Minister's assurance that the British Government will not be involved in raking over the coals of what happened in Turkey nearly 100 years ago and that it remains Her Majesty's Government's policy not to recognise the Armenian massacres as genocide?
§ Mr. VazClearly, these issues are sensitive and cause concern. However, I assure the hon. Gentleman that there is no change of policy as far as this matter is concerned.