HL Deb 26 January 1998 vol 585 cc12-3WA
Lord Avebury

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What information they have received from the United Nations Secretary-General about the despatch of the technical survey team to Sierra Leone mentioned in his report to the Security Council under Resolution 1132; and when they expect to receive his recommendations on the role that could be played by the United Nations in assisting the implementation of the Conakry Agreement. [HL8]

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean

The UN Technical Survey Team travelled to the region on 10 January. Two members of the team then flew to Liberia on 14 January for meetings with ECOMOG. while the rest of the team flew to Sierra Leone. The team's recommendations are expected to be made in a report by the Secretary-General at the end of this month.

Lord Avebury

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What steps they have taken, as a Permanent Member of the United Nations Security Council, to stop the blockading forces, whose duty is to enforce the limited sanctions against Sierra Leone imposed by Resolution 1132, from unlawfully extending the embargo to the delivery of humanitarian relief supplies; and whether they will propose to the Security Council that limited fuel supplies be allowed into Sierra Leone to enable delivery of humanitarian supplies to the rural areas. [HL7]

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean

We support UN Security Council Resolution 1132. The UN Sanctions Committee, of which we are a member, is aware of the problems with processing humanitarian shipments on the border and efforts are being made to address this problem through contacts between the UN and ECOWAS.

A UN Department of Humanitarian Affairs assessment team will visit the region next month to assess the humanitarian situation and the impact of sanctions. The Sanctions Committee has already approved applications for humanitarian fuel supplies, including one for the supply of 80,000 litres of fuel and 3,000 litres of lubricants to the ICRC.