Sudan (Hansard, 28 May 2004)

§ Tom Brake
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with his colleagues in the European Union in the past month regarding military intervention in Darfur, Sudan. [176035]

§ Mr. Mullin
The situation in Darfur was discussed at the EU General Affairs and External Relations Council on 26 April and 17 May. It has also been discussed by the Political and Security Committee, the Africa Working Group and the Africa, Caribbean and Pacific Working Group.
The EU is seized of the need to respond to the humanitarian crisis, and is considering how it can provide political, technical and financial support to the African Union-led Cease-fire Commission in Darfur. There has been no discussion of military intervention.

§ Mr. Drew
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Government of Sudan on the continuing detention of students, with specific reference to the Nyala area. [176117]

§ Mr. Mullin
We are very concerned about the reported arrests and harassment of students and others in Nyala, Darfur. Our embassy in Khartoum raised the continued detention of people in Darfur with the Head of the Sudanese Advisory Council for Human Rights on 26 May. We will continue to monitor the situation closely.

§ Mr. Drew
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Government of Sudan on the sentences to death of(a)Ali Salih Ahmed and (b)Adam Abdel Rahman Ishag. [176118]

§ Mr. Mullin
On 26 May our embassy in Khartoum raised the cases of Ali Salih Ahmed and Adam Abdel Rahman Ishag, who were sentenced to death in Nyala, Darfur on 31 March. with the Head of the Sudanese Advisory Council for Human Rights. We will continue to follow their cases closely.