HL Deb 30 June 1998 vol 591 c63WA
Lord Avebury

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they will publish an account of the work of the European Common Foreign and Security Policy Working Group on Human Rights during the United Kingdom Presidency, identifying any new initiatives taken. [HL2313]

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean

Under the UK Presidency, the Human Rights Working Group (HRWG) co-ordinated EU preparations for the UN Commission on Human Rights and the Commission on the Status of Women. In addition it developed a wider role through consultation with other working groups. For example, it prepared the EU's human rights dialogue with China with the CFSP Asia Oceania Working Group; worked with the Development Co-operation Working Group on two new development regulations on human rights and democracy; and took steps, for the first time, to integrate discussion of Council of Europe human rights issues into HRWG's ongoing work. It also drew up new guidelines on EU demarches on the death penalty and a paper on electoral monitoring, including a code of conduct for observers.