HL Deb 03 November 1993 vol 549 cc129-32WA
Lord Kennet

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Why they gave their support to President Yeltsin's abolition of a lawfully elected parliament and of Russia's lawful constitutional court.

Baroness Chalker of Wallasey

We have made clear that support for President Yeltsin is based on the continuation of democratic and economic reform in Russia. President Yeltsin tried all possible means to resolve the constitutional crisis before taking the decision to disband Parliament. The constitution, on which Parliament's legitimacy depended, was a legacy of the communist era and had clearly become unworkable. The Russian people will now have an opportunity to vote freely in parliamentary elections and to express their views on a new constitution. The constitutional court has been suspended, pending adoption of the new constitution. The steps President Yeltsin has taken are aimed at strengthening, not undermining, democracy in Russia. We support him in this.

Lord Kennet

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they have intimated to President Yeltsin, in the light of the support they have hitherto accorded him, that the banning of newspapers, newspaper editors and journalists is incompatible with democracy, the separation of powers, market forces, and free elections, which he has earlier claimed to support.

Baroness Chalker of Wallasey

President Yeltsin has consistently reiterated his commitment to free and fair elections, with access to the media a right for all parties. A very small number of hardline opposition papers, which behaved in ways inimical to a free society, have been banned. The total number banned is some 15 out of a total of 20,000 publications registered in Russia. It is possible that the ban on some of these may soon be lifted.

Lord Kennet

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they have discussed with the United States Administration the US Senate's desire to give 2.5 billion dollars in new aid in the light of President Yeltsin's dissolution of parliament, attack on the parliament building in Moscow, imposition of censorship, and banning of newspapers and political parties.

Baroness Chalker of Wallasey

It is not for us to comment on the bilateral aid policy of other countries. We have regular discussions with the Americans and others on our various programmes to help economic and political reform. We support President Yeltsin's decision to resolve the constitutional crises through democratic elections to a new parliament. The action taken by the rebel leaders and in particular their use of violence left President Yeltsin no alternative but to use force to restore democracy. The state of emergency has now been lifted and only a small number of extremist papers and political organisations are still banned. President Yeltsin has promised free and fair elections. We and other western countries will be sending observers to monitor these.

Lord Kennet

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they have intimated to President Yeltsin, in the light of the support they have hitherto accorded him, that the banning of political parties is incompatible with the principles he has earlier claimed to support.

Baroness Chalker of Wallasey

A small number of extreme groups that supported the armed overthrow of the democratically elected President of Russia have been banned. Many of their leaders face criminal charges. Twenty-five electoral blocs and patties have so far registered to take part in parliamentary elections in December, representing a very wide spectrum of political opinion. This includes the mainstream Communist Party. We have consistently stressed the importance of free and fair elections with the widest possible participation. There is no evidence that President Yeltsin is seeking to prevent this. On the contrary, he has invited international observers to monitor both the election campaign and the vote.

Lord Kennet

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they have been able to study the account of the Russian Defence Minister, Pavel Grachev, of events on Sunday, 3rd October, and whether, in the light of that account, it remains their view that the attack on the parliamentary building was justified.

Baroness Chalker of Wallasey

There have been a number of reports about the events in Moscow on 3rd October, leading up to the decision to take the Russian Parliament building by force. We believe that President Yeltsin tried all possible means to resolve the constitutional crisis before disbanding Parliament and calling new elections. The violent clashes on the streets of Moscow over the weekend of 3rd October left President Yeltsin with no alternative but to use force in order to restore law and order. Responsibility for the tragic loss of life must lie with rebel leaders who instigated the violence with the purpose of overthrowing the democratically elected President.

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