HC Deb 17 March 1998 vol 308 c554W
Mr. Vaz

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to visit(a) Yemen and (b) Oman. [34556]

Mr. Fatchett

My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has no current plans to visit either Yemen or Oman.

Mr. Vaz

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what meetings have taken place since 1 May involving representatives from his Department at which(a) Oman and (b) Yemen were discussed; and how many meetings he and his ministers have had with representatives of the (i) Oman and (ii) Yemeni Governments. [34557]

Mr. Fatchett

There have been numerous meetings between officials and members of the Yemeni and Omani Embassies since May 1997.

My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary met the Yemeni Foreign Minister in London in June last year and called on the President of Yemen during his visit to the UK last November. The Yemeni Foreign Minister also called on me in January.

My right hon. Friend met the Omani Minister responsible for Foreign Affairs last July. I have visited Oman twice since May 1997. During my visits I met representatives of the Omani Government, including His Majesty Sultan Qaboos. Two Omani ministers have called on me during the same period.