§ Dr. Julian LewisTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a 65W statement on the nature of Foreign Office support and sponsorship for organisations promoting bilateral relations between the UK and Romania and list the organisations concerned. [37181]
§ Peter Hain[holding answer 27 February 2002]: The Foreign Office has consistently supported organisations promoting bilateral relationships between the UK and Romania. Examples include the British-Romanian All-Party Parliamentary Group, the British Romanian Chamber of Commerce, the British Association for Central and Eastern Europe, Communication Workers' Union Humanitarian Aid, the Lay Visiting Charitable Trust, and the Mihai Eminescu Trust.
FCO support includes sponsorship for particular projects, briefings for MPs and others, and assistance to charities having difficulties with Romanian import requirements.
§ Hywel WilliamsTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs at whose request and on whose advice the Romanian Government were invited to visit Britain in November 2001. [39046]
§ Peter Hain[holding answer 28 February 2002]: The Romanian Prime Minister was invited by the CBI in June 2001 to speak to their Annual conference on 6 November. On the advice of the FCO, the Prime Minister agreed to a meeting with Mr. Nastase during this visit.