§ Dr. CableTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on how, at what level and when the human rights problem in Turkey is being raised with the Turkish government. [23574]
§ Mr. Doug HendersonWe regularly raise human rights in our Ministerial and official level contacts with the Turkish authorities.
I raised this issue with the Turkish Minister for Human Rights in Ankara in October 1997. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has had a number of discussions on the subject with the Turkish Foreign Minister. My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister raised the matter during his meeting with the Turkish Prime Minister in December.
The Turkish authorities recognise that this is an area in which they need to make progress. Our objective is to encourage them along that path.