§ Mr. CorbynTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Governments of Turkey, Iran and Iraq concerning their treatment of Kurdish people; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mrs. ChalkerAs my hon. and learned Friend the Member for Putney (Mr. Mellor) made clear in his answer on 27 June, we regret the denial of basic human rights wherever they occur. We are aware of reports of such abuses in Iraq, Iran and Turkey, and continue to take718W every suitable opportunity to voice our concern. My hon. and learned Friend raised this when he visited Iraq in February. When my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs met the Iraqi Foreign Minister in March, he reiterated our concern about such violations, and the plight of Iraqi Kurds in particular. We have also protested vigorously about the use of chemical weapons on the civilian town of Halabja in Iraqi Kurdistan.
No recent representations have been made to the Turks about the Kurds, but my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, did raise the issue of human rights in general when he met the Foreign Minister on 13 July during President Evren's visit.
Although no specific representations about the Kurds have been made to Iran, we have made known our views on human rights abuses in Iran on a number of occasions, and have co-sponsored resolutions on this issue at both the United Nations General Assembly and the United Nations Commission for Human Rights.