HC Deb 23 October 2003 vol 411 cc715-6W
Mr. Edwards

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will press the United Nations to take steps to secure the presence of international observers in the Occupied Territories. [133513]

Mr. Rammell

The Quartet, of which the UN is a member, has provided for third party monitoring of its roadmap. On 26 September 2003, the Quartet reaffirmed its commitment to follow closely the implementation by the parties of their obligations. This is done using the resources Quartet Members already have in the region, including the US team led by John Wolf and UN representatives.

We have no plans to press the UN for more international observers in the Occupied Territories at this time.

Mr. Kaufman

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the United Kingdom's(a) diplomatic and (b) trade relations with Israel will change as a result of the construction of the security wall. [133150]

Mr. Rammell

No.

Recipient Financial year Cost (£) Description (end use)
Afghanistan
Afghan National Army and ISAF/Afghan police and military controls at Kabul entry points 2002–03 1.44 million Hard and soft-top jeeps, trucks, communication equipment, security equipment including spotlights, radio, metal detectors
2003–04 (to date) 1 million Follow-on funding for further communications equipment to be provided in October 2003

The Government continue to use diplomatic channels to Israel to press for the route of the wall to be reconsidered. My right hon. Friends the Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary made clear our concerns over its route and likely impact to the Israeli Prime Minister during his visit to London on 14 July 2003. My noble Friend the Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean also raised the matter with the Israeli Foreign Minster during her visit to Israel on 30 September 2003.

The wall should not be built within occupied territory. As the 17 October 2003 European Council statement made clear, we and our EU Partners are particularly concerned that the route marked out for the fence in the West Bank will cause further humanitarian and economic hardship to the Palestinians and could prejudge final status negotiations. We deplore this seizure of Palestinian land, the isolation of Palestinian villages and the creation of a further physical obstacle to the two-state solution.