§ Dr. TongeTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the Government will support proposals to address the human rights situation in Saudi Arabia at the UN Commission on Human Rights under the public procedure. [35510]
§ Mr. FatchettWe will support the continuing consideration of human rights issues in Saudi Arabia under the Commission's confidential 1503 procedure.
§ Dr. TongeTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proposals the Government intend to make in respect of human rights in Kenya at the UN Commission on Human Rights in Geneva. [35507]
§ Mr. Tony LloydWe will include Kenya in the statement we make in our EU Presidency capacity under Item 8 of the agenda for the UN Commission on Human Rights. It urges, amongst others, the Government of Kenya to co-operate fully with UN Special Rapporteur for Torture.
§ Dr. TongeTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the Government will urge the Saudi Arabian Government at the UN Commission on Human Rights to extend an invitation to the UN Special Rapporteur on independence of judges and lawyers. [35509]
§ Mr. FatchettWe consistently urge Saudi Arabia to co-operate fully with the UN human rights mechanisms.
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§ Dr. TongeTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Kenyan Government requesting co-operation with the(a) Special Rapporteur on torture and (b) Special Rapporteur on extra-judicial executions. [35533]
§ Mr. Tony LloydWe regularly raise human rights issues, including torture and extra-judicial killings, with the Kenyan Government. I will raise these issues personally when I visit Kenya on 23–24 March. We encourage all states to co-operate fully with Special Rapporteurs mandated by the UN Commission on Human Rights.
§ Dr. TongeTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the Government will propose at the UN Commission on Human Rights that the Kenyan Government extend an invitation to a UN Thematic Rapporteur. [35505]
§ Mr. Tony LloydWe would urge the Kenyan Government to co-operate with any Thematic Rapporteur mandated by the UN. The EU statement, which we will make under Item 8 of the Commission on Human Rights agenda, urges the Kenyan Government to respond to the outstanding request by the UN Special Rapporteur for Torture to visit Kenya.
§ Dr. TongeTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the current human rights situation in(a) Kenya and (b) Saudi Arabia. [35506]
§ Mr. Fatchett(a) We receive reports from a variety of sources about human rights in Kenya. We are particularly concerned about persistent police brutality, torture and extra-judicial killings. The Kenyan Government are bound under international obligations to make progress in this respect. We will play a full part in ensuring that pressure for such progress is maintained.
(b) Among matters of concern to us in Saudi Arabia are practices in places of detention, shortcomings in the administrations of justice, and barriers to freedom of expression. We welcome Saudi Arabia's recent ratification of Conventions against Torture and Racial Discrimination, and would urge Saudi Arabia to ratify other principal human rights treaties.
§ Dr. TongeTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations the Government have made to(a) the Saudi Arabian and (b) the Kenyan Government on human rights. [35511]
§ Mr. Fatchett(a) We regularly raise human rights issues with the Saudi Arabian government. I discussed human rights with the Saudi Ambassador in May 1997. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary also discussed human rights issues with the Saudi Foreign Minister in New York in September 1997. Our Embassy in Riyadh did so with the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 2 March.
(b) We maintain a vigourous dialogue with Kenya on human rights issues through our High Commission in Nairobi and at Ministerial level. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary raised human rights issues with the new Kenyan Foreign Minister on 3 March, as did my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister with President Moi on 4 January.
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§ Dr. TongeTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what statement the Government plan to make in respect of human rights in(a) Kenya and (b) Saudi Arabia, to the UN Commission on Human Rights in Geneva. [35508]
§ Mr. Tony LloydWe will include Kenya and Saudi Arabia in the statement on country situations made by our Head of Delegation to the Commission on behalf of the European Union under Item 10 of the agenda.