§ Alan SimpsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking, within the United Nations, to secure the right of unrestricted access of weapons inspectors to identify whether Russia has been acquiring undeclared weapons of mass destruction. [78569]
§ Mr. Mike O'BrienRussia is a State Party to all the major arms control treaties governing weapons of mass destruction—the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) and the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC). Russia already complies with the inspection requirements imposed by its treaty obligations.
§ Mr. WigginTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on relations between the United Kingdom Government and the Government of Zimbabwe. [78442]
§ Mr. RammellRelations between the United Kingdom and Zimbabwe are poorer than at any time since Zimbabwe's independence in 1980. The ZANU (PF) regime has undermined the democratic principles on which an independent Zimbabwe was founded. It has manipulated the democratic process to retain power, as clearly seen during the presidential election in March and in elections since. It has used violence, intimidation and the withholding of food aid to cow the opposition and gain political advantage. It has seriously undermined the independence of the judiciary and subverted the rule of law. It has systematically attacked Zimbabwe's free and independent media. Its record on human rights abuses is appalling. Its economic and land policies are major contributors to the current humanitarian crisis. Relations between the UK and Zimbabwe will not improve until a government in Harare makes a genuine attempt to address these concerns.