To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs with reference to the answer of 9 September 2009, Official Report, column 1969W, on Western Sahara: human rights, whether the matter of human rights abuses in the Non-Self Governing Territory of Western Sahara related to calls for a referendum was raised with Morocco by EU officials in the meeting of the Sub-Committee on Human Rights, Democratisation and Governance on 24 July 2009. (304417)

The EU and Morocco held positive and open discussions in the meeting of the Sub-Committee on Human Rights, Democratisation and Governance on 24 July 2009. A wide range of human rights-related issues were discussed, including women’s rights, freedom of expression and the rights of detainees. Whilst there was no discussion relating specifically to the issue of Western Sahara, Morocco has a responsibility towards the people living there and therefore the discussions that took place did not exclude Western Sahara.

The UK and European partners regularly engage in discussions with the Moroccan authorities on issues related to human rights and Western Sahara, and raise individual cases where appropriate.