§ Lord McNairasked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the statement of the Prime Minister on 2 September 1998 (H.C. Deb., Cols.708–09), whether they will automatically endorse any military attack by the United States against Sudan in the future. [HL2196]
§ Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean:The Prime Minister has made clear on a number of occasions his reasons for supporting the US action last August.
§ Lord McNairasked Her Majesty's Government:
What assistance they are giving to Sudan to aid its preparations for the internationally-supervised referendum on the status of southern Sudan as envisaged in the 1997 Khartoum Peace Agreement. [HL2197]
§ Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean:Agreement on when a referendum on self-determination should take place has not yet been reached by the parties. Peace in the Sudan remains one of our priorities, although our ability to act is limited by the fact that we have not yet been able to return staff to Khartoum permanently.
§ Lord McNairasked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean on 14 December 1998 (WA 133), whether the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Sudan, or any other of the sources used by Her Majesty's Government, has figures detailing the carrying out of hudud punishments in the Sudan in the 10 years prior to 1989 compared with the past nine years. [HL2198]
120WA
§ Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean:We do not have such records. So far as we are aware, nor does the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Sudan.
§ Lord McNairasked Her Majesty's Government:
What is their assessment of the human rights situation in Sudan; and what has been the effect on human rights there of British and European Union policy. [HL2200]
§ Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean:A consensus resolution on Sudan was agreed at this year's Commission on Human Rights expressing deep concern at continuing serious violations of human rights, fundamental freedoms and relevant provisions of international humanitarian law perpetrated by all parties to the present conflict in Sudan.
§ Lord McNairasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether the August 1998 bombing by the American Government of the al-Shifa pharmaceutical factory in Khartoum, Sudan, has been discussed in the European Common Foreign and Security Policy working groups on non-proliferation, the Middle East/Gulf, Security, Africa and Global Disarmament. [HL2242]
§ Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean:We are not aware of any formal discussion of the issue in any of the relevant working groups.