§ Mr. McNamaraTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what factors underlay352W his decision to vote against resolution 2000/3 at the UN Human Rights Commission in March and April 2000 concerning the use of mercenaries; what position he will take in 2001; and what measures he has taken to regulate companies recruiting and offering the services of mercenaries. [148042]
§ Mr. BattleThe EU does not believe the Commission on Human Rights is the appropriate forum to deal with the problem of mercenary activity. We share the view that this subject should be dealt with directly in the UN General Assembly's Sixth Committee. We have not decided what position we will take if and when we are asked to vote again this year. As in previous years, the UK, along with other member states of the European Union, could not support the resolution entitled "The Use of Mercenaries as a means of Violating Human Rights and Impeding the Exercise of the Right of Peoples to Self-Determination" at the 56th Session of the Commission on Human Rights in March-April 2000.
Work is continuing on the preparation of a Green Paper outlining options for the regulation of mercenaries and private military companies.