Zad
692
Overall Change
-45.4 -2-4 26-8 38-2
my.
pean
nally
dom
pean
nited
ment
for
ort's pted
tion ards
orts
the how will
ron onal
and
this
ing
tion
for
an
tom
the
htal
1 or
S
to
the
be
559
ign
t is
ary
at
ary
Dur
ns
ers
693
THKK
Written-Answers
1113 111 3
Pakistant
RECEIVE A Hulst?
25 JULY 1984
11. Mr. Ron Brown asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about relations with Pakistan
Mr. Whitney: We maintain good relations with Pakistan.
Costa Rica (Presidential Visit)
12. Mr. Norman Hogg asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what results he expects to follow from the visit of President Monge of Costa Rica.
Mr. Whitney: President Monge sought and received support for his commitment to democracy and his efforts to promote peace in Central America. My right hon. and learned Friend hopes to be able to attend a meeting of Foreign Ministers of Central American and neighbouring countries with European Foreign Ministers in San José in September.
Nuclear Weapons (Limitation Talks)
13. Mr. Bright asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment his Department has made of the likelihood of a resumption of the Geneva negotiations on limiting intermediate range nuclear weapons.
Mr. Luce: Only the Soviet Government can answer that question. During my right hon. and learned Friend's visit to Moscow there were no signs of a Soviet wish to resume nuclear arms control talks, despite the emphasis which the United States, with the support of her allies, has placed on its willingness to resume talks anywhere at any time without preconditions.
Hong Kong
14. Ms. Clare Short asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what process of consultation Her Majesty's Government will undertake after publication of the Hong Kong Government Green Paper.
Mr. Luce: This is a matter for the Hong Kong Government. I understand that a period of 2 months will be allowed for public consideration.
18. Mr. Adley asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the Minister of State's recent visit to Hong Kong.
Mr. Luce: I visited Hong Kong from 12 to 14 July as part of a continuing series of ministerial visits to the territory. I had useful meetings with the members of the Executive and Legislative Councils of Hong Kong as well as with community and business representatives.
28. Sir Peter Blaker asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent progress there has been in the negotiations on the future of Hong Kong.
35. Mr. Temple-Morris asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about progress being made towards determining the future of Hong Kong.
351
Written Answers
694
70. Mr. Canavan asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will make a statement about the up to date state of the negotiations on the future of Hong Kong.
76. Mr. Alton asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on progress in the discussions on the future of Hong Kong.
Mr. Luce: I refer my right hon. and hon. Friends and the hon Gentlemen to the reply I gave earlier to the hon. Member for Liverpool, Riverside (Mr. Parry).
Nigeria (Repatriation of Funds)
15. Mr. John Fraser asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has discussed with the Nigerian Government arrangements for the repatriation of funds belonging to the state of Nigeria which are lodged in the United Kingdom.
Mr. Rifkind: We have advised the Nigerian authorities that if funds belonging to the Federal Republic of Nigeria are suspected to have been misappropriated by private individuals and to be held in private hands, it would be open to the Nigerian Government to bring actions in civil law to recover money held in this country.
Council of Europe (Human Rights Convention)
16. Mr. Austin Mitchell asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his attitude to the Council of Europe draft convention on human rights and, in particular, the extension of compensation to victims of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment.
Mr. Whitney: I assume that the draft convention to which the hon. Member refers is the draft convention on the protection of detainees from torture and from cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment at present being discussed by the Council of Europe. We are concerned to respond positively to measures which will genuinely improve the enjoyment of human rights. However, the draft convention contains no provision extending compensation ot victims of cruel, inhuman and degrading
treatment.
26. Mr. Sean Hughes asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his attitude to the Council of Europe draft convention on human rights and, in particular, the proposal to have unannounced visits to places of detention.
Mr. Whitney: We are concerned to respond positively to measures which will genuinely improve the enjoyment of human rights. The proposal for unannounced visits to places of detention contained in the draft convention on the protection of detainees from torture and from cruel, inhuman or degrading punishment is an interesting one, but it does give rise to certain practical problems. We are participating in negotiations with a view to resolving these problems.
32. Mr. Freeson asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his attitude to the Council of Europe draft convention on human rights and, in particular, the proposal to outlaw judicial amputations and floggings.
Mr. Whitney: I stated our attitude to the draft convention earlier today in my reply to the question from
DATE? 7784
693
COL.
Page 120Page 121