§ Mr. BattleTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what monitoring the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees makes of the return of Tamil refugees from India; and what action Her Majesty's Government propose to take to ensure the safety of the refugees.
§ Mr. Garel-JonesThe UNHCR is not involved in the repatriation programme agreed between India and Sri Lanka, but the UNHCR is helping people displaced by fighting in northern Sri Lanka and is aware of the situation in the areas where refugees returning from India are being resettled. We are monitoring the situation, and have pledged £20 million for reconstruction and rehabilitation in the north and east when conditions permit.
§ Mr. BattleTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has about the effects on child mortality of the ban on medicine and food items by the Government of Sri Lanka in northern Sri Lanka, including in the camp managed by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.
§ Mr. Garel-JonesContrary to the reports of a ban, our information is that the Sri Lankan Government are arranging the provision of basic food and medical supplies to the north, including to UNHCR relief centres, via the UNHCR and the International Committee of the Red Cross.
§ Mr. BattleTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if Her Majesty's Government will make representations to the Government of Sri Lanka 215W for the removal of the economic blockade on the north-east and the banning of items including fuel and medicine.
§ Mr. Garel-JonesWe have frequently expressed to the Sri Lankan Government our concern that it should ensure the welfare of all its citizens, and we welcome the efforts it has made to supply basic food and medicines to areas held by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. We could not expect the Sri Lankan Government to lift their ban on other items until the LTTE has renounced its terrorist campaign.
§ Mr. BattleTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether Her Majesty's Government will now make representations to the Government of Sri Lanka to accept an immediate ceasefire in the civil war and a return to negotiations with mediation by the United Nations Secretary-General.
§ Mr. Garel-JonesNo, we do not believe it would be right to press the Sri Lankan Government to declare an unconditional ceasefire with the LTTE, which broke off negotiations and initiated the present round of fighting in 1990. We have, however, urged the Sri Lankan Government to continue to pursue a political settlement, and would support any efforts they might make to seek the good offices of an external mediator.
§ Mr. BattleTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions the Government have had with the Government of Sri Lanka on their reasons for refusing the offers of mediation from the Commonwealth and from other Governments to help to settle the conflict in the island.
§ Mr. Garel-JonesWe regularly discuss the prospects for a settlement of the conflict in Sri Lanka with the Sri Lankan authorities, both in London and in Colombo. The Sri Lankan Government have indicated that they doubt whether mediation would be successful while the LTTE continues to show no readiness to negotiate on its demands.