§ Mrs. GillanTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what attempts have been made to improve Anglo-Sudanese diplomatic relations in the last year; and if he will list the formal contacts to this end between Her Majesty's Government and the Government of Sudan, and the results of these contacts. [71758]
756W
§ Mr. FatchettWe have had regular contact with the Sudanese authorities since the withdrawal of British staff from Khartoum in August last year. Through these contacts we continue to work towards the normalisation of Anglo-Sudanese relations. Contacts are ongoing.
§ Mrs. GillanTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer on 30 November 1998,Official Report, column 96, if Her Majesty's Government have supported resolutions or draft resolutions calling for an independent United Nations investigation of the Al-Shifa factory site in Khartoum. [71759]
§ Mr. FatchettA draft resolution on this issue is still on the table at the UN Security Council but has not been put to the vote.
Bilateral US/Sudan dialogue on the issue continues. Meanwhile we encourage Sudan to become a party to the Chemical Weapons Convention, which prohibits the acquisition, development, production, stockpiling and use of chemical weapons. It is supported by a verification regime consisting of data declarations and on-site inspections.
§ Mrs. GillanTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received from Her Majesty's Ambassador to Sudan on whether the Al-Shifa pharmaceutical factory in Khartoum was a heavily guarded military installation. [71760]
§ Mr. FatchettHer Majesty's Ambassador to Khartoum visited the Al-Shifa factory only once; for the official opening ceremony in July 1997. He did not report that it was a heavily guarded military installation.