HC Deb 11 June 2002 vol 386 cc1172-4W
Mr. Ancram

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information was provided by the French authorities to his Department concerning the visit of Zimbabwean Police Commissioner Augustine Chihuri to that country recently. [59199]

Mr. Straw

As they were obliged to, under the terms of the EU travel ban, the French authorities provided full relevant information prior to Chihuri's recent attendance at the 14–16 May Interpol meeting in Lyon.

Mr. Ancram

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the meetings of international organisations which the Zimbabweans who are listed on the UK/EU travel ban list are allowed to attend. [58959]

Mr. Straw

There is no defined list. The terms of the Common Position imposing the travel ban allow Member States to grant exemptions on the grounds ofhumanitarian need, including religious obligation, or on the grounds attending meetings of international bodies or conducting political dialogue that promote democracy, human rights and the rule of law in Zimbabwe".

In practice, EU Member States examine visa applications from banned Zimbabweans on a case-by-case basis and consult other partners before reaching a final decision.

Mr. Ancram

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on what date his Department was contacted by the French authorities concerning the visit of the Zimbabwean Police Commissioner Augustine Chihuri; and what response his Department gave to the French. [59198]

Mr. Straw

We understand that Chihuri entered France on a single-entry 10-day visa on 11 May and returned to Zimbabwe on 20 May.

The French authorities alerted EU partners to Chihuri's application for a visa on 27 March. They explained that they were obliged under Article 15 of the Interpol Accord to allow Chihuri, a Vice-President representing Africa on Interpol's Executive Committee, to attend the organisation's 14–16 May meeting. The French authorities noted that the exemptions allowed under the EU travel ban include permission for banned individuals to attend international meetings of this kind.

My Department accepted the legal basis of the French request, but asked the French authorities to attach maximum restrictive conditions to Chihuri's entry visa and, where possible, to restrict his movements on EU soil to the immediate vicinity of the Interpol meeting.

Mr. Ancram

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations his Department has received from European Government representatives since 11 March concerning Zimbabwean Ministers attending meetings in Europe, while they are on the EU sanctions list. [58960]

Mr. Straw

The terms of the EU travel ban allow banned individuals to attend meetings of international organisations based in Europe which are subject to established treaty arrangements. These may effectively require a host country to allow access irrespective of any ban.

France informed EU partners on 27 March that Augustine Chihuri had applied to attend an Interpol meeting in Lyon from 14 to 16 May, and again on 23 May that he had applied to attend another meeting from 18 to 20 June. France noted its obligation under the Interpol Accord to allow national representatives to attend meetings at the headquarters of this international organisation. France issued him a restrictive, single entry 10-day visa for the May meetings, and a five-day visa for the June meeting. Spain has reported an application from Chihuri to enter Spain following the June meeting. This application has been refused.

France also reported a request from Zimbabwean officials on behalf of Robert Mugabe, Elliot Manyika, Elisha Muzonzini and Stanislaus Mudenge for permission to enter France while transitting Paris airport en route from New York on the weekend of 11 May. The request was turned down. Germany informed partners on 27 May that Stanislaus Mudenge had applied to enter Germany on private business. The application was turned down.

Italy alerted partners on 29 May and 5 June to requests from Robert Mugabe, Stanislaus Mudenge, Elliot Manyika, George Charamba and Joseph Made for permission to attend the UN Food Summit in Rome from 10 to 13 June. Italy noted its obligation to allow these individuals entry to attend this UN summit. They are likely to be given a five-day single entry visa.

Mr. Ancram

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how long the Zimbabwean Police Commissioner Augustine Chihuri was in the European Union. [59197]

Mr. Straw

We understand that Chihuri entered France on a single-entry 10-day visa on 11 May and returned to Zimbabwe on 20 May.

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