§ Mr. MaudeTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the proposed budget is for the UNAMSIL deployment in Sierra Leone for the year 2000. [127659]
§ Mr. HainThe UNAMSIL budget for July 1999 to June 2000 is US$266,610,000, and for July 2000 to June 2001 US$504,399,051.
§ Mr. MaudeTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many child soldiers have been demobilised by pro-Government forces in Sierra Leone since 8 May. [127658]
§ Mr. HainThe screening and demobilisation of child soldiers from pro-Government forces in Sierra Leone is continuing. The screening programme is to identify those children who have actually been involved in fighting. Of the 135 children who have recently entered the screening programme, 32 were identified as child soldiers.
We welcome the Government of Sierra Leone's policy that there must be no place for children in the Sierra Leone armed forces, and that all child soldiers must be disarmed and demobilised. We will continue to press for the early release of all child soldiers in Sierra Leone.
§ Mr. MaudeTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has (i) made to and (ii) received from the Presidents of(a) Nigeria, (b) Liberia and (c) Sierra Leone, regarding the ECOWAS bid to broker a ceasefire between Sierra Leone Government forces and RUF rebels. [127652]
§ Mr. HainWe remain in regular touch with ECOWAS states over the situation in Sierra Leone. We support the efforts of ECOWAS to help restore stability throughout Sierra Leone and bring about an end to violence.
President Kabbah has made clear that, before any ceasefire, the Revolutionary United Front must meet a number of conditions, including the immediate and unconditional release of all UN peacekeepers and other detainees.