§ Mr. FlynnTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made80W of the advantages of holding an internationally monitored referendum for the people of southern Sudan in respect of self-determination. [4656]
§ Mr. Hanley[holding answer 18 November 1996]Sudan needs constitutional arrangements acceptable to its people in all parts of the country, but the best way of ascertaining their views has yet to be decided. A referendum may be part of a settlement to the civil war. But much will depend on whether satisfactory answers can be found to issues such as timing, the nature of the question and acceptability and implementation of the result.
§ Mr. FlynnTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the current state of peace initiatives in the Sudan; and if he will make a statement. [4657]
§ Mr. Hanley[holding answer 18 November 1996]The peace initiative of the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development which is supported by the United Kingdom and other western countries through the Friends of IGAD, FOI, has stalled. We hope that an initiative to involve the Friends of IGAD more closely with the work of IGAD will help to re-energise it. The Government of Sudan are pursuing a strategy of "peace from within". They have signed a political charter with some of the southern groups. They claim that they are ready to talk to the Sudan People's Liberation Army, which has not signed the charter.
The SPLA remain wedded to the declaration of principles that the Government of Sudan rejected at the last substantive round of IGAD talks. Many observers are unclear that the political charter represents a serious peace initiative. But we have called on the SPLA to test out the Government's good faith by talking to them.
§ Mr. FlynnTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on what occasions he has met representatives of southern Sudanese groups in the last year; with which groups he met; at what locations; what was discussed; and if he will make a statement. [4661]
§ Mr. Hanley[holding answer 18 November 1996]My right hon. and noble Friend the Minister for Overseas Development met the Sudan People's Liberation Army leader, John Garang, in Nairobi in August and urged him to respond constructively to overtures from Khartoum. As well as attending my right hon. and noble Friend's meeting with John Garang, our ambassador in Khartoum has met him separately this year and met South Sudan Independence Movement leader Riek Machar, who has signed the political charter with the Government of Sudan, twice also. He has also met representatives of the Union of Sudan Africa Parties and Nuba Mountains in Nairobi and regularly sees a wide range of southern elders living in Khartoum and when he is on tour. Officials in London have held meetings with representatives of southern groups on around 12 occasions this year, in addition to seeing them at more general events. Officials in Cairo and Nairobi also see southern Sudanese representatives.
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§ Mr. FlynnTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what has been the budget for Her Majesty's ambassador to Sudan for visits to(a) outlying areas of the Government-held part of Sudan and (b) non-Government-held areas in the south for the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement. [4650]
§ Mr. HanleyThe embassy's local and regional travel budget for this financial year is £9,051. It does not distinguish between travel to Government-held areas and travel to non-Government-held areas.
§ Mr. FlynnTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the visits Her Majesty's ambassador to Sudan has made to peripheral areas of the Government-held part of Sudan in the last 12 months, indicating the locations, dates and durations; and if he will make a statement. [4651]
§ Mr. Hanley[holding reply of 18 November 1996]During the last 12 months, the ambassador has made the following trips to Government-held destinations outside Khartoum: Northern province (archaeological sites), 18 to 23 November 1995; Nuba mountains via E1 Obeid, 25 to 31 January 1996; E1 Da'ein (south Darfur), 4 July; Kosti, 27 July; Juba, 3 August; Damazin/Roseires, S and 9 November; and Kassala/Gedaref, 15 to 17 November.
Members of the ambassador's staff have made a further 11 visits, including to Port Sudan—twice—and to the Government-held towns of Wau and Juba in the south.
§ Mr. FlynnTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many British diplomats, of what rank and in what location, work in Britain's relations with the Sudan; what proportion of their time is taken up by the Sudan; and if he will make a statement. [4692]
§ Mr. Hanley[holding answer 18 November 1996]There are currently 11 UK-based staff at the British embassy in Khartoum. The ambassador is a member of the FCO senior management structure. The embassy will shortly be reduced by one member of staff as a result of an efficiency inspection carried out this summer. Relations with Sudan and support to the embassy are looked after by a team at various levels in London. Relief aid is handled by a separate team at the ODA. It is not possible to list them or to break down the time they each devote to Sudan.
§ Mr. FlynnTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received in the last three months from(a) members of the public and (b) hon. Members concerning Her Majesty's Government's efforts to promote a resolution to the war in the Sudan; and if he will make a statement. [4658]
§ Mr. Hanley[holding answer 18 November]Between 15 August and 20 November Foreign Office Ministers replied to 92 letters from right hon. and hon. Members about Sudan. Many of those have simply asked for82W comments on the circular letter from Rev. Dr. Richard Rodgers. We have received 154 representations from members of the public, of which 102 were postcards which Dr. Rogers provided to his supporters and asked them to send in. Those have been replied to by officials.
§ Mr. FlynnTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received in the last four months concerning conditions and standards in Kober prison, Khartoum north; and if he will make a statement. [4660]
§ Mr. Hanley[holding answer 18 November 1996]We have received one representation about Kober prison. The embassy in Khartoum brought the allegations to the attention of the Government of Sudan. The Government of Sudan replied that action had been taken against a member of staff accused of killing a prisoner.