HC Deb 07 November 2000 vol 356 cc190-1W
Mr. Mackinlay

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a report to the House on significant events in foreign affairs between 1 August and 23 October. [135178]

Mr. Robin Cook

We welcome the major steps towards democracy taken by the Serb people first on 24 September by voting in massive numbers for change, and then on 5 October as their determination brought on the collapse of the Milosevic regime. We and our EU partners promised in September that we would respond rapidly with a rapid revision of our policy, if they took such a step. Now we are keeping our promise: lifting sanctions, supporting the re-integration of the FRY into international organisations, and providing European and bilateral assistance.

We have all been shocked by the recent upsurge of violence in Israel and the Occupied Territories. The most important task now is to end the violence and bring the parties back to the negotiating table. We have been working closely with all sides to get the Peace Process back on track and our engagement has been warmly welcomed. In the last month the Prime Minister has been in regular contact with regional leaders, and I have had a very constructive visit to Israel, the Palestinian Authority, Egypt, Jordan and Syria.

On 6 October in Warsaw the Prime Minister affirmed our strong commitment to a swift and successful enlargement of the EU. Enlargement will help make our continent more stable by integrating more countries into a Union that promotes the principles of democracy, good governance, the rule of law and respect for human rights. The Government are determined that there should be a breakthrough on enlargement under the Swedish Presidency. We are working with EU member states to commit themselves to a specific framework leading to an early end of the negotiations and accession.

On 19 October I announced in Seoul that the UK intended to respond positively to a proposal in a letter from the North Korean Foreign Minister that North Korea and the UK establish diplomatic relations. The decision was taken in the light of a number of positive developments since the Inter-Korean Summit in June, including further progress in North/South contacts, Marshal Cho's visit to Washington, the US/DPRK joint communique and Mrs. Albright's visit to Pyongyang to prepare for a possible visit by President Clinton.

Between 6 and 8 September, at the Millennium Summit of the United Nations in New York, the Prime Minister underlined the significance the UK puts on the UN and its changing role in the 21St century. We hope the Summit will constitute a turning point in strengthening the UN system and in directing its overall efforts towards specific goals on development, security and the environment. The UK was instrumental in helping guarantee the Declaration included a paragraph on keeping track of the progress of those commitments.

The UK warmly welcomed the Brahimi Panel report on UN Peace Operations as a key part of an overall agenda for UN reform. It identified key areas for action, most particularly the need for a more co-ordinated capacity for a rapid response to crises and a more integrated ability to plan and support UN missions. We look forward to working with the Secretary General and other member states on swift implementation of Brahimi recommendations.

We have provided substantial practical support for the efforts of the Government of Sierra Leone and the United Nations to secure lasting peace and stability. Our objective remains to ensure that the people of Sierra Leone are offered a realistic prospect of stability and peace; and a future free from the violence of a brutal rebel minority.

We remain very concerned about the situation in Fiji and we will continue, with our partners in the Commonwealth and the EU, to keep up the pressure on Fiji's Interim Administration for a speedy restoration of constitutional democracy.