§ Mr. VazTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) when a representative of the British Embassy in Yemen first met with a member of the Yemeni Government to discuss the five detained British citizens; [66686]
(2) what representations were made to the Yemeni Government between the kidnapping of the hostages on 28 December and their death on 29 December; and what response was received from the Yemeni Government. [66688]
§ Mr. FatchettI refer my hon. Friend to the statement given to the House by my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary on 11 January 1999,Official Report, columns 21–34.
§ Mr. VazTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when(a) he and (b) a Foreign and Commonwealth Office minister first spoke to a member of the Yemeni Government to discuss the situation in Yemen. [66687]
536W
§ Mr. Fatchett(a) My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary first discussed events in Yemen by phone with the Yemeni Prime Minister, Dr. Iriyani, on 9 January. (b) The Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Gateshead, East and Washington, West (Ms Quin), called on the Yemeni Ambassador on 1 January.
§ Mr. VazTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of Yemen's application to join the Commonwealth. [66689]
§ Mr. Tony LloydAt their meeting in Edinburgh in October 1997, Commonwealth Heads of Government decided to keep Yemen's application to join the Commonwealth under review.
§ Mr. VazTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans his Department's ministers have to visit Yemen. [66690]
§ Mr. FatchettWe have no current plans to visit Yemen.