HC Deb 03 April 2000 vol 347 cc284-5W
Mr. Oaten

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has made to the Government of Kazakhstan about freedom of the press. [117113]

Mr. Vaz

This is an issue of concern to us and our EU partners. We have ensured that it has been raised in EU statements, including at the OSCE Review Conference in Vienna and Istanbul in September 1999, and more recently in the EU response to the statement by President Nazarbaev at the OSCE Permanent Council meeting in Vienna in February.

Mr. Oaten

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with European Foreign Ministers on human rights in Kazakhstan. [117114]

Mr. Vaz

We and our EU and OSCE partners continue to monitor developments in Kazakhstan, including those relating to progress on democratic reform there, and will raise issues of concern as necessary. We shall also seek to ensure that, in the context of the Partnership & Co-operation Agreement, these issues are adequately addressed at the next EU-Kazakhstan Co-operation Council due in June.

Forward to