§ Mr. CorbettTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what actions he proposes to take during the current session of the United Nations General Assembly over human rights abuses in Iran.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggThe United Nations Secretary-General's special representative on human rights in Iran,82W Mr. Galindo-Pohl, will present a report to the United Nations General Assembly later this month. Together with our EC partners we will work to ensure that his report's findings are fully reflected in any resolution adopted at the General Assembly.
§ Mr. CorbettTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the authorities in the former Soviet Republic of Kazakhstan over its sale of nuclear warheads to Iran.
§ Mr. Garel-JonesNone. We have no reason to believe that any nuclear warheads have been transferred from Kazakhstan to Iran.
§ Mr. CorbettTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Government of the Russian Federation over its sale of submarines to Iran.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggWe expressed to the Russian Government our serious concerns on this subject during President Yeltsin's visit on 9 and 10 November: my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence raised this matter with President Yeltsin on 9 November. It was also raised during the talks held by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs with the Russian Foreign Minister on 10 November.
§ Mr. CorbettTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what approaches have been made by the Iranian Government to reopen its office of procurement in London; and what response he has given.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggThe Iranians have made a number of requests to be allowed to reopen their military procurement offices in London, which were closed in 1987. We have made it clear that this would not be appropriate or welcome.
§ Mr. CorbettTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his policy towards asking the United Nations General Assembly to introduce an arms and oil embargo on Iran in view of its continuing human rights abuses.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggWe have no plans to do so. The United Nations Secretary-General's special representative on human rights in Iran, Mr. Galindo-Pohl, will present a report to the United Nations General Assembly later this month. Together with our EC partners we will work to ensure that his report's findings are fully reflected in any resolution adopted at the General Assembly.