HC Deb 10 March 1987 vol 112 cc136-7W
Mr. David Atkinson

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what information his Department has collected about the latest developments in Bulgaria concerning the Turkish assimilation campaign; and if he will make a statement;

(2) whether he has any information about the numbers of Turks who have been killed as a result of the assimilation of the Turkish minority in Bulgaria.

Mr. Renton

Reports on recent actions by the Bulgarian authorities towards the ethnic Turkish minority have referred to violent clashes and deaths. We have pressed the Bulgarian authorities to permit access to the affected areas, so that the facts can be established. Facilities for this have not been granted. We therefore have no first-hand information on the situation.

Mr. David Atkinson

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what recent representations the Government have made to the Bulgarian authorities about the treatment of the ethnic Turkish minority;

(2) whether the Government will make representations to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights about the treatment of the minority Turkish population in Bulgaria.

Mr. Renton

Reports of mistreatment of the ethnic Turkish minority have still not been satisfactorily explained by the Bulgarian authorities. This remains a matter of concern which we have repeatedly brought to their attention bilaterally and in multilateral fora, including at the current CSCE follow-up meeting in Vienna and at the current session of the United Nations Commission for Human Rights in Vienna.

Mr. David Atkinson

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) whether he has

any information about the number of Turks in Bulgaria who have been given permission to visit relatives in Turkey since 1985;

(2) what information his Department has collected about the numbers of Turks who have been allowed to emigrate from Bulgaria since 1982.

Mr. Renton

The information requested is not readily available. 1 will write to my hon. Friend as soon as possible.

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