§ Mr. CanavanTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) if he will make a statement on international efforts to restore democracy in Sierra Leone; [4159]
(2) if he will make a statement on the implications of his Department's mission statement for relations with Sierra Leone following the recent coup d'état; [4158]
(3) if he will make a statement on the actions of the Nigerian military in Sierra Leone; [4229]
254W(4)how Her Majesty's Government are assisting efforts to find a negotiated and peaceful settlement to the crisis in Sierra Leone; [4154]
(5) if he will make a statement on his recent discussions on Sierra Leone with the United Nations Secretary General; [4155]
(6) if he will make a statement about Nigeria's military intervention in Sierra Leone; [4156]
(7) what assessment his Department has made of the regional implications of the crisis in Sierra Leone. [4157]
§ Mr. Tony Lloyd[holding answer 17 June 1997]: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Leicester, East (Mr. Vaz) on 12 June, Official Report, column 545. We deplore this coup and shall continue to work for the restoration of the legitimate government in Sierra Leone without further bloodshed. Those who led the coup have no support from their own people or from the international community. International stability and respect for human rights are core parts of the FCO mission statement. They have an evident relevance to the situation in Sierra Leone.
Several West African states, including Ghana, Nigeria and Guinea, are working together to find a peaceful settlement to the current crisis in Sierra Leone. We strongly support their efforts, which are likely to include an early high-level regional meeting to identify a way forward. I discussed the situation in Sierra Leone with the Ghanaian Deputy Foreign Minister on 18 June. I am also in touch with the Sierra Leone High Commissioner in London. We are active within both the UN and the Commonwealth about their respective roles in the search for a negotiated settlement in Sierra Leone. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs met Mr. Annan, United Nations Secretary General, on 4 June. They discussed Sierra Leone and expressed the strong hope that a negotiated settlement would be found. With partners in the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) we will consider Sierra Leone at the next CMAG meeting on 10—11 July. I discussed the prospects for this meeting with the Commonwealth Secretary on 19 June. CMAG will report to the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Edinburgh in October.
Nigeria has long maintained a military presence of around 1,000 troops in Sierra Leone under bilateral and multilateral agreements. Twenty-four Nigerians died defending President Kabbah. Extra deployments after the coup followed appeals to regional states by President Kabbah and by the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) to assist in restoring constitutional order. We encourage Nigeria now to play a constructive role in the regional efforts to secure a negotiated settlement.
We are concerned that the coup in Sierra Leone should not have a destabilising influence elsewhere in the region. In particular we are watching events in neighbouring Liberia where democratic elections are due on 19 July. The universal condemnation of the coup by African states offers some reassurance that the region itself is determined not to allow the instability in Sierra Leone to spread.