§ Mr. Austin-WalkerTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he has taken to satisfy himself that arms supplied to Turkey by the United Kingdom and other NATO states are not being used for the violation or suppression of human rights and fundamental freedoms; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. GoodladProposed United Kingdom arms sales to Turkey, as to other countries, are considered on a case-by-case basis and are subject to stringent licensing procedures. Before a licence is granted, a wide range of factors are taken into account—including an assessment of the recipient country's human rights record and of the use to which the equipment will be put. We do not grant licences for the sale of equipment which we believe is likely to be used for internal repression.
§ Mr. Austin-WalkerTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Government of Turkey regarding bans on British parliamentarians visiting or travelling through that country.
§ Mr. GoodladTurkey has imposed no general ban on British parliamentarians visiting or travelling through that country. We have expressed our concern to the Turkish Government at the ban imposed recently on the noble Lord, the Lord Avebury.
§ Mr. Austin-WalkerTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he made to the Turkish Government regarding abuse of human rights, destruction of villages and forced displacement of people from south-eastern Turkey during his visit to Istanbul on 14 October.
§ Mr. GoodladDuring my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary's visit to Istanbul on 14 October he raised human rights issues with the Turkish Prime Minister. He also discussed the situation in the south-east of Turkey with the Turkish Foreign Minister. The Turkish Government are well aware of the importance we attach to their improving their human rights record.
§ Mr. Austin-WalkerTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will urge Dr. Francis Deng, the United Nations rapporteur on internally 505W displaced persons, to conduct a survey of the position in south-east Turkey; and what assessment he has made of the adequacy of resources for the task.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggUN human rights investigators draw up their own programmes of visits in the light of their mandates and priorities. It would be inappropriate for any country to attempt to influence the work of such investigators, including Mr. Deng. We are not aware of any immediate plans by Mr. Deng for a visit to Turkey.
§ Mr. Austin-WalkerTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if arms being supplied Turkey by the United Kingdom and other NATO member states are of a nature which could be used against Greece.
§ Mr. GoodladYes, the same would be true of weapons sold to any other NATO member state.
§ Mr. Austin-WalkerTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the conformity of arms sales to Turkey by the United Kingdom and other Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe states with the CSCE principles governing conventional arms transfers of November 1993; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. GoodladOur policy on arms sales to Turkey, as to other countries, is in accordance with the CSCE principles governing conventional arms transfer of November 1993; with the guidelines on conventional arms transfer agreed by the five permanent members of the UN Security Council; and with the European Union common criteria for arms exports.