§ Lord Aveburyasked Her Majesty's Government:
For what purposes General Dostum, the Uzbek commander of irregular forces in Afghanistan, was granted a visa to enter the United Kingdom on 15 January 1996; whether he is being received by an official or Minister at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, and if so, by whom, and what was the outcome of the discussion.
§ The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Chalker of Wallasey)It is not our normal practice to disclose information about an individual's immigration status. General Dostum discussed the situation in Afghanistan with officials from South Asia Department of the FCO on 17 January. We urged him to co-operate with Ambassador Mestiri in the latter's efforts to broker a peaceful settlement.