To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions his Department has had with representatives of countries seeking entry into the European Union. [16027]

We are committed to enlargement of the EU and to ensuring that this is an all-inclusive process. Regular contacts—at all levels— with all countries that have applied for membership in the European Union are essential to this. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary is visiting Hungary, the Czech Republic and Poland this week. I have travelled to Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovenia and Turkey this autumn. All this is in addition to the continuous dialogue conducted by officials and HM Ambassadors.