§ Mr. LuffTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made this year to countries in south America and the Caribbean about the anti-drug work of the West Indies guardship, its access to territorial waters and its powers to board vessels registered in these countries; and if he will make a statement. [7950]
§ Sir Nicholas BonsorWe have made no such representations regarding the West Indies guardship—WIGS. I have, however, made representations to the Venezuelan Government, following the refusal by the Venezuelan authorities to grant permission to the Royal Fleet Auxiliary Gold Rover, which operates in support of WIGS, for US law enforcement officers embarked on the RFA to board a Venezuelan flagged vessel suspected of drug trafficking. I made clear this Government's view that article 17 of the 1988 UN drugs convention, which the United Kingdom and Venezuela have ratified, provides the legal framework for maritime anti-narcotics co-operation.