§ Mr. Teddy Taylorasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) if he will take steps to clarify what funds will be used by the Common Market Commission to pay for the 300,000 tons of bananas which the Commission agreed to import from Nicaragua and for the provision of £4,200,000 of aid for that republic;
(2) if Her Majesty's Government were consulted by the Common Market Commission prior to the agreement made between the Commission and the Republic of Nicaragua in the current month for the importing of 300,000 metric tonnes of bananas each month from Nicaragua and for the provision of £4,200,000 of Common Market aid for the Republic; and what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government towards the Commission's action.
§ Mr. RifkindThe Commission has not entered into any agreement to import bananas from Nicaragua. Any Nicaraguan bananas which enter the European Community market are bought by Community importers on the world market and attract normal customs duties. Nicaragua receives both food aid and project aid from regular European Community programmes. The Community's 1985 food aid programme is expected to provide food aid worth approximately £4,200,000 to Nicaragua under title 9 of the Community budget.
§ Mr. Teddy Taylorasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if Her Majesty's Government were consulted by the President of the Commission, before he advised the Vice-President of Nicaragua that the economic sanctions applied by the United States against Nicaragua on 1 May conflicted with the economic and monetary philosophy of the Common Market and were considered by the Common Market to be unlawful; and what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government towards this statement.
§ Mr. RifkindThe talks between the President of the Commission and the Vice-President of Nicaragua were private, and held without consultation. In recent General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade discussion of the United States embargo of Nicaragua, however, the Commission made clear the European Community view, to which the United Kingdom is party, that article XXI of the general agreement on tariffs and trade entitles each contracting party to determine what action is necessary to uphold its national security.
§ Mr. Teddy Taylorasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if there have been any discussions in any meeting of Common Market Ministers about their attitude and policy towards the economic sanctions imposed by the United States against Nicaragua on 1 May; and if any decisions have been made by the Council of Ministers on this subject.
§ Mr. RifkindThere have been no ministerial discussions or decisions on this matter.