HC Deb 14 March 2003 vol 401 cc447-8W
Mr. Roy

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Government of Sudar on the clearances of villages in the oil field area of Southern Sudan. [101586]

Mr. Rammell

We are in regular contact with the Government of Sudan. The US-led Civilian Protection Monitoring Team (CPMT) has investigated alleged attacks against civilians in Western Upper Nile as part of their normal mandate. At the request of Lt-Gen. Sumbeiywo the CPMT has also investigated alleged violations of the Memorandum of Understanding on cessation of hostilities which was signed at Machakos on 15 October 2002 and extended on 18 November 2002.

On 4 February the Government of Sudan and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement/Army (SPLM/A) signed an addendum which aims to strengthen the MoU. It contains many new and welcome initiatives, including the establishment of a Verification Monitoring Team to investigate alleged violations of the MoU by the Government of Sudan and the SPLM/A, to build confidence between the parries and make more unlikely the sorts of outbreaks of fighting which we have seen recently in Western Upper Nile. We are ready to contribute personnel and resources to this operation.

Mr. Roy

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many UK nationals are employed in the southern oil fields of Sudan. [101587]

Mr. Rammell

We cannot state with certainty how many UK nationals are in Sudan. UK nationals are not obliged to register at the British Embassy in Khartoum. Of those who have registered 26 state that they work in the oil industry in south Sudan.

Mr. Roy

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had on the progress of peace negotiations in Sudan. [101590]

Mr. Rammell

The UK role in supporting the peace process is performed jointly by the FCO and DFID. The UK Special Representative for Sudan, Alan Goulty, leads the UK observer delegation at the peace talks. We continually carry out intensive consultations at ministerial and official level with the Government of Sudan and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement/Army in support of the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) peace process. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary most recently met the Sudanese Foreign Minister at UNGA in September 2002.