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Written Answers
2 APRIL 1990
multilaterally agreed measures to avoid the possible aid and trade distortion that can result from the use of such aid.
Turkey (Refugees)
90. Mr. Atkinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on United Kingdom aid for Iranian and Iraqi refugees in Turkey.
Mrs. Chalker: Her Majesty's Government have provided two grants totalling £550,000 to assist Iraqi Kurds in Turkey and ethnic Turkish refugees from Bulgaria. Both the initial grant of £250,000 made in November 1988 and the £300,000 announced during my visit to Turkey in July 1989 were provided through the Turkish Red Crescent Society.
UNHCR is currently negotiating with the Turkish Government a new programme of assistance for which I have agreed to provide £250,000.
Developing Countries (Debt)
91. Mr. John Garrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action the Government are taking to resolve the debt crisis of developing countries.
Mrs. Chalker: The Government will continue to provide financial assistance for indebted countries through IMF and World Bank, the rescheduling of official debt in the Paris Club and, where appropriate, bilateral aid. We will also continue to implement the special measures for the poorest debtors agreed at the 1988 Toronto economic summit. For middle-income debtors, specific support for commercial bank debt reduction will continue to be available through the IMF and World Bank. All this assistance is conditional on debtor countries pursuing economic reforms to lay the basis for sustained growth, as such reforms are essential for a lasting resolution of their debt problems.
99. Mr. Campbell-Savours: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with members of the European Commission and Ministers of member states concerning the writing-off of debt owed by developing countries to the European development fund.
Mrs. Chalker: Discussion has concentrated on whether to cancel outstanding repayments on transfers made under Stabex system during the first Lomé convention. I expect a decision to be taken shortly.
Nicaragua
92. Mr. Boateng: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to restore bilateral aid to Nicaragua.
Mrs. Chalker: We have decided to start a modest bilateral technical co-operation programme to Nicaragua. We are in touch with our ambassador in Costa Rica, who has responsibility for our relations with Nicaragua, about how the programme could best be deployed.
93. Mr. Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has made an assessment of Nicaragua's needs for international assistance since the election of Violetta Chamorro.
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Mrs. Chalker: EC Ministers will be meeting their central American colleagues in Dublin on 9 and 10 April, and will be able to discuss the needs of the countries of that region, notably Nicaragua, then. Our main channel of international assistance in Nicaragua is through our contribution to EC aid to that country and, as indicated in my answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Battersea (Mr. Bowis) on 12 March, we will seek to ensure that EC aid to Nicaragua is maintained, and possibly increased, once Senora Chamorro's democratically elected Government take office.
South-East Asia
95. Mr. McFall: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much he plans to provide in aid for the countries of south-east Asia in 1990-91.
Mrs. Chalker: I expect to provide approximately £15 million in 1990-91 to the countries of south-east Asia, most of it to Indonesia. Assistance is also likely to be provided under the aid and trade provision, but this cannot be quantified at present.
Elephant Conservation Schemes
96. Mr. Tony Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent reports he has received on elephant conservation schemes currently receiving British Government development aid.
Mrs. Chalker: Elephant conservation forms part of our wider assistance to African wildlife in general. We are supporting an increasing number of long-term wildlife and conservation projects on which we receive regular reports. However, many of these projects are at an early stage of implementation and it is too soon to assess their full impact. We remain willing to consider further requests for help. The conservation projects receiving our support are as follows:
BRITISH SUPPORT FOR WILDLIFE CONSERVATION IN AFRICA Country and activity
Botswana
Provision for one United Kingdom expert as Deputy Director of Department of Wildlife and National Parks to assist the Government of Botswana to develop a Wildlife Department which can effectively manage the wildlife resources of the country. Likely costs approximately £92,000.
Cameroon
Jointly funding with the International Council for Bird Preservation a project to conserve forest resources in the Oku mountains. Approximate cost £80.000.
Kenya
The provision of three United Kingdom experts (one wildlife adviser and two gamewardens) working in Kenya Wildlife Department. One gamewarden acts as co-ordinator of Kenya Rhino Rescue Project. Approximate annual cost £130,000.
The provision of spare parts for and rehabilitation of 19 ex-army Bedford trucks previously gifted by Ministry of Defence for use in anti-poaching efforts. The provision of seven new Landrovers for the Department of Wildlife and a review of radio communications needs. Total cost likely to be £250,000.
Nigeria
Assistance planned for the Foresty Sector could include the management and conservation of forest reserves in
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