HC Deb 23 October 2003 vol 411 cc714-5W
Mr. Wray

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on co-operation by Indonesia with the UN Serious Crimes Unit. [132998]

Mr. Mike O'Brien

I am advised that Indonesia has not co-operated with the Serious Crimes Unit's investigations. There was a request to do so from the late Sergio Vieira de Mello when he was the Special Representative of the Secretary General to East Timor, and there was lobbying from the EU in support of this request.

Mr. Dhanda

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Government of Indonesia regarding the activities of Laskar Jihad members. [133538]

Mr. Mike O'Brien

We have discussed counter-terrorism issues a number of times with the Government of Indonesia over the past year, although we have not specifically raised the activities of Laskar Jihad members.

Our bilateral counter-terrorism assistance involves capacity-building assistance, including training in counter-terrorism crisis management skills. We are encouraging moderate Islam in Indonesia to be more vocal. We are also offering specialist help and training in capacity building for provincial officials, focusing our help in provinces where improved governance will benefit the poor. Indonesia is a priority country for the Global Conflict Prevention Pool, and we are working to identify programmes to reduce sectarian violence and relieve humanitarian crises.

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