Turkey (Hansard, 24 March 1998)

§ Ann Clwyd
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representation the Government plans to make during the UN Commission on Human Rights meeting in Geneva concerning the current human rights situation in Turkey. [35764]

§ Dr. Lynne Jones
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what assessment he has made of the current human rights situation in Turkey; and what plans he has to express concern about human rights in Turkey in his statement to the forthcoming UN Commission on Human Rights in Geneva; [35762]
(2) what recent representations the Government have made to the Turkish Government on human rights. [35763]

§ Dr. Tonge
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) if the Government will urge the UN Commission on Human Rights to press the Turkish Government to facilitate the visits of, and cooperate with, the Working Group on Involuntary and Enforced Disappearances and the Special Rapporteur on Torture in 1998; [35883]
(2) if the Government will, in their statement to the UN Commission on Human Rights, urge the Turkish Government to prosecute all those responsible for human rights violations; [35885]
(3) what proposals the Government intend to make at the UN Commission on Human Rights meeting in Geneva to deal with human rights problems in Turkey; [35886]
(4) what recent representations the Government have made to the Turkish Government on human rights; [35887]
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(5) what assessment he has made of the current human rights situation in Turkey. [35888]

§ Mr. Doug Henderson
I refer my hon. Friends and the hon. Member to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Walthamstow (Mr. Gerrard) on 23 March 1998,Official Report, column 29.

§ Mr. Jim Cunningham
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he has taken to encourage Turkey to improve its record on human rights abuses. [35293]

§ Mr. Doug Henderson
In addition to raising the issue of human rights on a regular basis with the Turkish authorities, we are offering significant practical assistance to help Turkey fully meet its international obligations. This includes the package of human rights projects I announced on my visit to Ankara last October. These projects, involving UK experts, will cover areas such as police training, establishment of a police complaints authority and a network of citizens' advice bureaux, and inter-agency training on women's rights. We remain committed to working closely with the Turkish authorities on such matters.

§ Mr. Jim Cunningham
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the linkage between Turkey's application for membership of the EU and its policies towards Cyprus. [35294]

§ Mr. Doug Henderson
The European Council has agreed that Turkey's application to join the European Union will be judged on the basis of the same criteria as those used for all other applicants. The Council has noted that the strengthening of Turkey's relations with the EU also depends upon other factors, including Turkey's support for negotiations under the aegis of the UN on a political settlement in Cyprus on the basis of the relevant UN Security Council resolutions.

§ Dr. Tonge
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the risk that(a) light weapons and (b) armoured vehicles exported to Turkey could be used for internal repression. [35884]

§ Mr. Doug Henderson
All licence applications for the export of conventional arms to all countries, including Turkey, are considered against the criteria announced by my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary on 28 July 1997,Official Report, columns 26–29. A licence will not be issued if there is a clearly identifiable risk that the proposed export might be used for internal repression or international aggression.