TNAG-1749-FCO40-2468-Visit-by-Sir-Geoffrey-Howe--Secretary-of-State-for-Foreign-a-1988 — Page 8

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Written Answers

8 JUNE 1988

Geoffrey Howe: We continue to take every opp

nity to develop closer relations with the Republic of Ireland, in constructive pursuit of our many shared interests. In particular, we are fully committed to the Anglo-Irish Agreement. It provides a firm basis on which to continue to develop detailed co-operation in a variety of areas of high priority concern to both countries, including further resolute action against terrorism.

Ethiopia

43. Mr. Cormack: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what further representations he has received on human rights violations in Ethiopia.

Mrs. Chalker: We are well aware of the public concern about human rights violations in Ethiopia and receive frequent representations. We have raised the matter on numerous occasions with the Ethiopian Government and shall continue to do so. We warmly welcome the recent release from detention of the seven female members of the former royal family. We hope very much that this will be followed by the release of the three male members of the royal family and other political prisoners.

Austria

44. Mr. Janner: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to develop relations between Britain and Austria.

Mrs. Chalker: We shall continue to develop contacts between Britain and Austria in ways which appropriately reflect the good relations between our nations and Governments.

Human Rights

45. Mr. Dykes: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what items have been included on the agenda of the forthcoming bilateral commission on human rights with the Soviets.

Mr. Mellor: For our part, we propose to discuss freedom of expression, religious tolerance, the right to leave and re-enter one's own country, the political abuse of psychiatry, legal reform and other CSCE-related humanitarian issues. We shall be pressing for recent improvements in Soviet practice to be codified into effective legislation, as well as raising all those human rights cases on our lists which remain unresolved and other individual problems. The Soviet side will no doubt raise aspects of concern to them about human rights in Britain.

Toronto World Economic Summit

46. Mr. Cash: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the agenda of the forthcoming Toronto world economic summit.

Mrs. Chalker: As in previous years, summit par- ticipants are likely to discuss macroeconomic policies, structural adjustment, debt, trade and agriculture. We hope that summit leaders will emphasise the vital need for progress on agricultural reform, the need to strengthen the effectiveness of the GATT system, and the importance of

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a productive mid-term meeting of the Uruguay round. We expect East-West relations, the middle east and terrorism to be the main political issues.

Chile (Plebiscite)

47. Mr. Illsley: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has made any representations to the Government of Chile concerning the conditions under which the impending plebiscite will be held.

Mr. Eggar: Yes, we make frequent representations. The large number of Chileans registering to vote is encouraging, as is the access which democratic opposition parties now have to television. We hope this will continue, and that the people of Chile will be able to vote in a climate of calm, free from violence or intimidation from whatever source. We welcome Admiral Merino's commitment to lift the state of emergency 30 days before the plebiscite.

Hong Kong

48. Mr. Couchman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when next he plans to visit Hong Kong.

73. Mr. Andrew MacKay: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he next intends to visit Hong Kong.

Mr. Eggar: My right hon. and learned Friend visited Hong Kong from 29 to 31 May, where he reviewed recent developments in Hong Kong with the governor and members of the Executive and Legislative Councils, and met a wide range of representatives of the community. He also visited a number of major development projects and both a closed camp and a reception centre for Vietnamese boat people.

Western European Union

49. Mr. Wood: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when last he visited the Western European Union; and what subjects were discussed.

Mr. Mellor: Meetings of the WEU ministerial council are held in the country holding the presidency. The last such meeting took place in The Hague on 18-19 April when Ministers discussed European security, the Gulf, enlargement, the follow-up to the platform and

DATE institutional questions.

Reagan-Gorbachev Summit

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50. Mr. Moss: To ask the Secretary Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about the implications for the United Kingdom of the outcome of the Reagan-Gorbachev summit.

Mr. Mellor: We welcome the Moscow summit as a valuable contribution to the establishment and main- tenance of stable and predictable East-West relations. President Reagan was able to put across to a wide Soviet audience western democratic values and views, on the basis of allied resolve and unity.

309

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For ORAL ANSWER on

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Head of HKD

Please submit:-

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& supplementary notes to Parliamentary Unit

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Question no:57

TEXT OF QUESTION:-

Party

1/6/88

MR JAMES COUCHMAN (GILLINGHAM)

To ask the Secretary of State,

when he next plans to visit Hong Kong.

to P/S

LORD GLENARTHU

(Minister)

for answer by

MR. EGGAR

(Minister)

NOON

for approval by

NOON

2PQS1.REPLY (S)

ANSWER

My at hon leaner Free

visited

Intel

1 paid a visit to Hong Kong from 29 to 31 May, During the visit reviewed recent developments in Hong Kong

with the Governor and members of the Executive and

Legislative Councils, and met a wide range of represent-

atives of the community. I also visited a number of major development projects and both a closed came and a reception centre for Vietnamese boat people.

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copy to

Private Secretary

P/S

MR. EGGAL..

(Minister)

Parliamentary

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Question no:84

TEXT OF QUESTION:-

Head of

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Please submit:-

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before

1/6/88

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To ask the Secretary of State,

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