HC Deb 14 March 1994 vol 239 cc472-3W
Mr. Worthington

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions have been held at the United Nations or in the European Union on the issue of the establishment of safe havens in southern Sudan; and what was the outcome.

Mr. Douglas Hogg

There have been no such discussions at the United Nations or within the European Union.

Mr. Worthington

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has about Sudanese-backed terrorist infiltration into Eritrea.

Mr. Douglas Hogg

The Eritrean Government have informed the president of the United Nations Security Council of an incursion into Eritrean territory from Sudan by 20 agents of Eritrean Jihad on 16 December 1993. The Eritreans have subsequently informed the President that gunmen killed an Eritrean official in the Sudanese town of Kassala on 18 February.

Mr. Worthington

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what further steps he intends to urge upon the international community to maintain pressure upon the Sudanese Government to end the civil war and human rights abuses.

Mr. Douglas Hogg

We will continue to support the peace initiative of the Kenyan, Ugandan, Ethiopian and Eritrean Governments and to urge the parties to the conflict to respond positively. With our European Union partners we have decided to impose an arms embargo on Sudan as a further expression of our abhorrence of the continuing violence.

On 10 March, the United Nations Commission on Human Rights passed by 35 votes to nine a further resolution, which we fully supported, highlighting continued human rights abuses in Sudan. We will continue to press bilaterally and with our European union partners for an end to such abuses. The resolution renewed the mandate of the special rapporteur.

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