Sudan (Hansard, 9 March 1994)

§ Mr. Worthington
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what consideration has been given to a United Nations embargo on oil imports into Sudan; and what are the objections to such a move.

§ Mr. Douglas Hogg
A global embargo on oil imports would require the passage of a United Nations Security Council resolution. We have not ruled out recourse to the UN Security Council but would not want to pursue this option unless we were sure that this was the right tactic.
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§ Mr. Worthington
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the Government will take action at the United Nations to insist that previously inaccessible areas of Sudan such as the Nuba mountains are opened up to human rights organisations and international aid organisations.

§ Mr. Douglas Hogg
We whole-heartedly supported the recent resolution of the United Nations General Assembly, which called upon all parties to the civil war to permit international agencies, including human rights organisations, and humanitarian organisations access to the civilian population throughout Sudan. We are pressing this point again at the present meeting of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights.

§ Mr. Worthington
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which countries on the United Nations Security Council are resistant to any further moves being taken to increase pressure on Sudan to improve its record on human rights.

§ Mr. Douglas Hogg
China voted against the 1993 United Nations General Assembly resolution on the human rights situation in Sudan and was the only United Nations Security Council member to do so.

§ Mr. Worthington
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps have been taken to approach the participants in the Sudanese civil war to see if they would agree to the establishment of safe havens in southern Sudan and in the Nuba mountains; and what was their response.

§ Mr. Douglas Hogg
The Intergovernmental Authority on Drought and Development leaders have yet to succeed in bringing all parties to the civil war to the negotiating table, and have therefore not had the opportunity formally to suggest confidence building measures of the sort suggested by the hon. Gentleman.