§ Mr. MackinlayTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when Peter Penfold left his post as High Commissioner in Sierra Leone; and what his last day was in Sierra Leone. [123269]
§ Mr. HainMr. Penfold left his post as High Commissioner, and Sierra Leone, on 29 April 2000, his tour of duty having been the normal length for such postings.
§ Mr. MaudeTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what representations his Department made to President Kabbah regarding accepting Foday Sankoh into the Sierra Leonean Government; [123313]
(2) what representations were made to his Department regarding Foday Sankoh's inclusion in the Sierra Leone Government by (a) President Kabbah, (b) the Nigerian Government and (c) the United States Government; [123312]
(3) what guidance he received on the decision to include Foday Sankoh into the Sierra Leonean Government; [123315]
(4) what factors underlay the decision to include Foday Sankoh in the Government of Sierra Leone; [123314]
(5) what representations were made by the Government on Foday Sankoh's inclusion in the Government of Sierra Leone. [123311]
§ Mr. HainFoday Sankoh has no formal post in the Sierra Leone Government. Under the Lomé Peace Agreement, he was made Chair of the Commission for the Management of Strategic Resources, National Reconstruction and Development, with the status of Vice-President.
Representatives of Nigeria, the US and Britain were among those present as observers during the negotiations in Lomé between the Government of Sierra Leone and the Revolutionary United Front.
§ Mr. MaudeTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to(a) the US Administration and (b) his European counterparts regarding the freezing of bank accounts of leading members of the Revolutionary United Front in Sierra Leone and their families. [123320]
§ Mr. HainUN sanctions are already designed to target the Revolutionary United Front. UN Security Council resolution 1171 (1998) imposes a travel ban on leading members of the former military junta and of the Revolutionary United Front. It also imposes an embargo on the supply of arms and related material to Sierra Leone other than to the Government of Sierra Leone (with certain exemptions). We have not discussed the option of freezing the bank accounts of leading members of the Revolutionary United Front and their families with the US Administration or with European counterparts. However, the UK will ensure that the Security Council keeps the impact and effectiveness of sanctions under review and will make proposals for modification of the sanctions regime as we consider appropriate.
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§ Mr. MaudeTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received of illegal arms shipments going through Burkina Faso to the Sierra Leone rebels. [123317]
§ Mr. HainHer Majesty's Government are aware of allegations that arms flown from Ukraine to Burkina Faso in March 1999 were subsequently forwarded via Liberia to the rebels in Sierra Leone. We raised our concerns regarding this matter with the Burkinabe authorities and the UN Sanctions Committee at the time. The Chairman of the UN Sanctions Committee also raised these allegations with the Governments concerned.
§ Mr. MaudeTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what role the Commonwealth has played in finding a peaceful solution to the latest crisis in Sierra Leone. [123316]
§ Mr. HainThe Commonwealth remains an active supporter of the Government of Sierra Leone's efforts to secure lasting peace. Meeting on 2 May, the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group condemned the killings and detention of UNAMSIL peacekeepers; expressed its determination to stand by the people of Sierra Leone; and reiterated its readiness to assist the reconstruction of Sierra leone and the consolidation of its democracy.
§ Mr. MaudeTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what recent representations he has received from the US Administration on the situation in Sierra Leone; [123323]
(2) what recent representations he has made to the US Administration on the situation in Sierra Leone. [123322]
§ Mr. HainWe remain in close touch with the US Administration over the situation in Sierra Leone, particularly over the need for practical help to enable UNAMSIL to build itself up over the next few weeks. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary most recently discussed this with the US Secretary of State on 20 May. We welcome the US announcement of $20 million to support peacekeeping in Sierra Leone.
§ Mr. MaudeTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what factors influenced the decision to offer amnesty to all the Sierra Leone Revolutionary United Front's members, as part of the Lomé peace accord. [123319]
§ Mr. HainGranting an amnesty for crimes committed before the signature of the Lomé Peace Agreement on 7 July 1999 was one of the many hard decisions taken by the Government of Sierra Leone in their efforts to reach a negotiated settlement.
§ Mr. MaudeTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he was first informed about the worsening situation in Sierra Leone after January. [123318]
§ Mr. HainWe have kept the situation in Sierra Leone under careful and constant review. The present crisis began when the Revolutionary United Front attacked UN peacekeepers at a Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration camp in Makeni on 1 May. Reports of this attack were received early the following day.
The security situation deteriorated rapidly thereafter.