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Russia: Human Rights

Volume 703: debated on Tuesday 22 July 2008

asked Her Majesty’s Government:

What initiatives they will take to encourage dialogue between the European Union and the Government of Russia on the place of human rights, freedom of the media and civil society in the context of stable democracy and containing extremism.

My Lords, human rights are a central part of the EU’s relations with Russia. Consultations take place between the EU and Russia on human rights every six months. This April, the EU raised a number of concerns related to human rights and fundamental freedoms in Russia. The EU-Russia human rights dialogue should form an important part of the successor to the EU-Russia Partnership and Co-operation Agreement, negotiations on which began earlier this month.

My Lords, while I am sure that I share with others a sense of encouragement from what my noble friend has said, does he not agree that, faced with the grave threats that confront us all, human rights and justice are not optional extras but fundamental to holding secure our own societies? In this context, are the Government able to concentrate with the Russians on the dumbing down of the media, the harassment and, indeed, murder of journalists, the curbing of NGO activity, manipulation of the law and, whatever the propaganda by the Russians in this respect, the continued sinister oppression in Chechnya? Do these not play into the hands of extremism and militancy?

My Lords, I certainly concur with my noble friend’s concern about the direction of human rights in Russia and his observation that human rights are central to stability between nations and to our global society as a whole. I should like to assure him that the Government last year spent some £700,000 on human rights projects in Russia. This year we will support projects such as human rights training for prison officers in southern Russia and give support to state and civil society to tackle xenophobia and extremism and to combat religious and ethnic discrimination, while at the same time maintaining our dialogue with the Government.

My Lords, does the Minister agree that, while the EU is striving for and issues papers about the need for strategic partnership and dialogue on human rights, as he mentioned, the Question asked by the noble Lord, Lord Judd, reminds us that things are not going very well between the EU and Russia? In fact, between this country and Russia, they have been going very badly. Is he aware that we are getting reports now of bogus court procedures, false evidence being organised against innocent citizens and corruption in the police and tax authorities, quite aside from the matters that the noble Lord, Lord Judd, has mentioned? What steps are we taking to get a more successful message to the Russian people, with whom, basically, we want good relations, that if they do not correct some of those things urgently they will not only cut themselves off from global development but damage their own people and their own interests considerably in the future?

My Lords, the noble Lord is correct that things are not going well in Russia in terms of human rights and that we, as the EU, have considerable leverage, which we must apply. On the one hand, we have an energy dependence; Russia is our biggest source of energy supply. On the other hand, we are Russia’s main trading partner as a region, so we share a neighbourhood and commercial links, which we must use to ensure that respect for human rights is strengthened in Russia. I think that we all agree with the noble Lord that the trend at the moment is not a happy one.

My Lords, will the Minister confirm that Britain is pushing hard for a common EU approach to Russia, which is clearly what we need? Will he also confirm that we are making strong representations to some other Governments, for example the current Government of Italy, that bilateral relations with Russia of the sort that Mr Berlusconi wants to pursue are not helpful to an effective dialogue? Lastly, can he confirm once again that, in the Partnership and Co-operation Agreement that we are negotiating, we must insist on the rule of law to underpin not only human rights but also economic relations and foreign investment? This has to be something that the Russians can demonstrate runs properly inside their economy, society and courts.

My Lords, the noble Lord is correct. If the EU stands together in its relationship with Russia, we are much more powerful than if we develop singular and different approaches to dealing with these issues. On human rights inside Russia, there is no doubt that the EU benefits not just at the human level but at the commercial level from the maintenance of the rule of law and an end to its erosion in both commercial and human rights areas. We will press strongly on this agenda, as the noble Lord suggests.

My Lords, have not the Russians made it clear that their restrictions on the British Council, which has made a signal contribution in the fields mentioned by my noble friend, have been entirely for political reasons? Is it not therefore all the more important that the European Union should continue to show solidarity with us in this respect?

My Lords, that is certainly the case. Russia, if I may say, is the great loser from the non-presence of the British Council and the extraordinary programmes that it runs, including English language training. However, we must make sure that this is a dispute not just with Britain but with the EU.

My Lords, might it not be simpler and more productive if we started a discussion with Russia to see whether it has a long-term wish to join the European Union?

My Lords, Russia has joined the G8 and other international groupings with somewhat mixed results. I think that I will leave it to others to comment on what would happen to the EU if we were to welcome Russia into its midst. Some might welcome it strongly, if not for the best of motives.

My Lords, while I welcome the arrest last night of the former Bosnian Serb leader, does my noble friend agree that there might be a case for the ICC to indict some Russian generals for crimes committed against humanity in Chechnya?

My Lords, the great glory of the ICC is that it is an independent prosecutorial system. It does not behove me as a politician standing at the Dispatch Box to suggest whom the court should or should not prosecute.