What representations he has made to the Turkish Government on the treatment of political prisoners and human rights. [145033]

My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary and I both raise our concerns on Turkey's human rights record, including the treatment of political prisoners, in our contacts with our Turkish counterparts. We and European Union partners continue to have significant concerns about restrictions on freedom of expression, the incidence of torture and the statutory existence of the death penalty. These concerns were reflected in the accession partnership that received political agreement on 5 December. We raised our concerns about the recent prison operations in Turkey with the Turkish Foreign Minister on 11 January.

Is my hon. Friend aware that a group of human rights activists have just returned to the United Kingdom from Turkey and that they report massive human rights abuses, particularly among the 1,200 political prisoners who are on hunger strike, some of whom are said to be close to death? Is he also aware that Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International have reported the ill-treatment of prisoners, particularly the raping of prisoners with truncheons? Will he confirm that a condition of Turkey's membership of the EU must be a huge improvement in its human rights conditions.

No Member of the House has done more to champion the rights of minorities in Turkey than my hon. Friend. She deserves the thanks of the House for the visits that she has made and the way in which she eloquently raises issues of concern. I was aware that a group had just returned to the United Kingdom following a visit to Turkey, and I look forward to receiving and reading its report.

May we have the Minister's assurance that the British Government will not be involved in raking over the coals of what happened in Turkey nearly 100 years ago and that it remains Her Majesty's Government's policy not to recognise the Armenian massacres as genocide?

Clearly, these issues are sensitive and cause concern. However, I assure the hon. Gentleman that there is no change of policy as far as this matter is concerned.

If he will make a statement about the situation in the middle east. [145034]

The rate of violence in the occupied territories has reduced substantially in recent weeks, but it is still at an unacceptable level. I spoke on Sunday to the Israeli Foreign Minister on the eve of his departure to the talks in Taba. I expressed our hope that it would prove possible for agreement to be reached on a text recording the area of common ground established in the talks with former President Clinton.

I am sure that the whole House will welcome my right hon. Friend's reply. Does he agree that peace is about compromise and that the Clinton plan, which was supported by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister, offered such a compromise? It was about a painful and difficult series of choices.

All the House would want to salute former President Clinton on the immense effort and creativity that he put into trying to find progress on the middle east peace process. I agree with my hon. Friend that the parameters set out by the former President did not offer both sides everything that they wanted. Such a settlement is impossible: a settlement will require the compromise on both sides to which my hon. Friend referred. However, I hope both sides will not lose sight of the fact that the security of a peace agreement is far more important than any compromise that is necessary to achieve it.

Does the right hon. Gentleman accept that the middle east continues to be one of the most dangerous and difficult political problems? As there has been a change of President in the United States, will he ensure that he and his Department get in touch with the new Administration so that we work closely with them to bring about a solution, difficult as that may be?

I absolutely agree with the right hon. Gentleman about the gravity of the situation. We have always been very concerned that the difficulties within the occupied territories might give rise to greater instability within the region. I am pleased to tell the House that I am going to accept an invitation from Secretary of State Colin Powell to visit him between 5 and 7 February, and that problem will be high on my agenda.

My hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham, Northfield (Mr. Burden) and I returned just today from the occupied territories in Palestine. While there, we met President Arafat, who spoke strongly of his hopes that the 10 days of talks, which he called the intensive marathon, that are under way will bring about a settlement that is acceptable to both sides. Will my right hon. Friend do everything in his power, with the help of the United States Government, to encourage the parties to reach a just solution? Will he undertake to meet me and my hon. Friend to hear at first hand some of the atrocities that we learned about in the occupied territories, including the disproportionate use of force and questionable terms of engagement for Israel's troops, which led to the killing of a boy from Hussan school in Beit Sahour? Will he also discuses with us how we can raise the matter of the imprisonment of 53 young people who would not be in prison if Israel implemented the UN convention on the rights of the child?

I am aware that my hon. Friend has just returned from the occupied territories and I shall be pleased to hear his first-hand impressions. The United Kingdom supported the Security Council resolution that reflected our grave concern at the excessive use of force in the occupied territories. I am very glad and relieved that the violence on both sides has declined in recent weeks.

It may not be strictly necessary to mention this, but I have a registerable interest in relation to such matters, which is recorded in the Register of Members' Interests.

I fully agree with the sentiment that the right hon. and learned Gentleman expresses. The right to return to a Palestinian state was set out by former President Clinton in his attempt to renew the peace process in December. I well understand the strength of feeling on that matter especially in Jordan where nearly half the population are of Palestinian origin. However, at the end of the day, the peace settlement will be a package. It is important that it offers gains to both sides, but I do not know whether it would be wise at an early stage of the talks to identify one single red line among the many elements that will need to be considered.

My right hon. Friend is aware of the concern in all parts of the House about the plight of three Israeli soldiers kidnapped by Hezbollah on the Israeli side of the Israel-Lebanon border. Will he put pressure on the authorities in Iran, Syria and Lebanon so that at least some information may come to light about the plight of the soldiers, for their families, for the success of the peace process, and particularly for security on Israel's northern border?

I fully understand the importance of the issue to Israel generally, and specifically to the relatives of the three men. When I was in Israel on an earlier visit, I met the relatives of Ron Arad, who has been missing for well over a decade. It is impossible to overstate the distress caused to relatives by the uncertainty about what may have happened to their loved ones. I raised the matter of the three Israel Defence Force soldiers when I was on my recent tour. We continue to pursue it and to take the opportunity of every contact and every channel to try to obtain a resolution of the issue.

Does the Foreign Secretary acknowledge that Britain, with its record of support for Israel and its long history of involvement with many Arab states, is uniquely well placed to exert influence in the middle east? Why does he think that people on all sides in the region believe that Britain is failing to live up to its historic role? Surely Britain's foreign policy should be neither a pale reflection of America's, nor simply one voice in a European Union of 15. If the right hon. Gentleman understood a little better what Britain has been, would he not understand a little better what Britain can be, and what role Britain can play in the world as a confident and independent country?

I congratulate the House on the fact that, until now, we have had a sober, non-partisan discussion of a serious issue. It is deplorable that that should be rounded off by a right hon. Member on the Opposition Front Bench seeking to reduce it to a party political issue. It is far larger than any party political issue, and I do not propose to respond in the tone or the style of the Opposition spokesman. All that he has done is to prove that the is unfit ever to hold the office of Foreign Secretary.

If he will make a statement on the recent bilateral conference with Greece in Hydra. [145035]

The first bilateral British-Greek conference, "A New Look at Relations" was held on the island of Hydra near Athens from 13 to 15 October 2000. Two Greek and two British Ministers attended, with 45 other participants, including hon. Members, officials, journalists and other opinion formers. The conference addressed issues of competitiveness, education in a knowledge-based society, and social change in the EU context. The Hydra conference was the flagship event in our bilateral relations with Greece in 2000. It was an enormous success.

Does my hon. Friend agree that the Hydra conference showed that with the PASOK Government of Mr. Simitis, Greece has made great economic progress, with stability sustained growth, falling public debt and a Budget surplus? As Greece further develops its structural changes, does my hon. Friend agree that the ties between our countries and Governments are stronger than ever, and that Greece provides an excellent opportunity for British inward investment and trade?

I happily agree with my hon. Friend. I thank him for his participation in the Hydra conference, and for the way in which he has helped build up relations between our two countries. Twelve British Ministers visited Greece last year. My hon. Friend is right when he says that the economy of Greece has improved enormously under Prime Minister Simitis. The reformist agenda put forward by the Greek Prime Minister has been extremely valuable. British exports to Greece last year were worth £1.1 billion—an increase of 7 per cent. The good relationship with Greece will continue. We are grateful for the steps that the Greek Government have taken to try and find the assassin of Brigadier Saunders. We will continue to work with the Greek Government to ensure that his killer is brought to justice.

In connection with the murder of Brigadier Stephen Saunders, will the Minister outline the assistance that the British Government are giving the Greek Government to apprehend the murderer?

We have responded tot every request that has been made by the Greek Government. I went over shortly after the assassination, my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has been there, and every Foreign Office Minister has visited Greece over the past 12 months. In the meantime, Greek Ministers, especially the Home Affairs Minister, have visited our country, asking for help—for example, on the policing aspects and the forensic examination of evidence. We are there to help, and we will continue to help in any way that we can.

When he next plans to discuss the implementation of plan Colombia with representatives of the US Government. [145036]

We have regularly discussed developments in Colombia with the US Government and will naturally keep in close touch with the new US Administration.

to help the Colombian Government protect its people, fight the illicit drug trade, halt the momentum of the guerrillas and ultimately bring about a sensible and peaceful resolution to the conflict.

Is my hon. Friend aware that 170 unarmed civilians have been murdered in Colombia since the start of the year, including 25 people from one village who were butchered last Wednesday morning by a paramilitary death squad? Is he also aware that a military strategy supported by the United States is now operating in the Putumayo region in southern Colombia? Part of the strategy includes crop spraying, which is causing major hazards to the health of local communities, and to the environment.

I thank my hon. Friend for his serious and continued interest in what is happening in Colombia. We share his concerns and deeply deplore the recent murders of campasinos. Killing is undoubtedly taking place, at the hands of the FARC and the paramilitary. I stress that the permanent under-secretary at the Foreign Office was in Colombia last week, urging the Government there to crack down on paramilitaries and to maintain a dialogue for peace with the FARC.

In his talks with the US Government, will the Minister make it clear that he wants a guarantee that they will not in any circumstances use the live fungus fusiparium for spraying coca crops?

Again, we have made that point before to the Governments of both Colombia and the US. We will continue to press the point. We believe that voluntary eradication of coca and the development of alternative crops are the key, so that campasinos have an economic future. That is the way to undermine the FARC's grip on the local economy, which is based on coca crops. That is what we want to happen.

One of the last presidential acts of former President Clinton was to waive the human rights condition attached by Congress to all aid under plan Colombia. Will my hon. Friend the Minister seek an early opportunity to express to the new Administration our disappointment at that decision? Will he continue to insist, to the United States and to the European Union, that respect for the fundamental standards of human rights must be a condition of all future international aid to the Colombian Government?

Again, yes; my hon. Friend's close attention to developments in Colombia is much appreciated by people here and in Colombia. The Government and the European Union have made it clear that any support for Colombia is conditional on the importance of the rule of law, the defence of human rights and international humanitarian law, assistance for victims of violence, and protection of the environment.

A key part of plan Colombia and the Colombian peace process is helping the Colombian Government in their fight against the drugs barons, and I am sure that the Minister would agree that the West Indies guard ship, now the Atlantic patrol task (north), has played a leading role in the successful seizures of narcotics. Is it not alarming, then, that the Government's defence cuts have resulted in the guard ship's failing to patrol for three months in each of the last two years? Can he confirm that there is currently no guard ship in the area, and that HMS Sheffield is not scheduled to deploy until next month and is in Portsmouth?

We have no ships based in Colombia, as far as I am aware. To treat the hon. Lady's question seriously—the drugs trade is a serious matter—I emphasise that we do have an agreement with the Ministry of Defence. I believe that the operations of the West Indian guard ship do include counter-drugs work in the Caribbean, and that that is those ships' orbit of operations. They are working on targeting cocaine, which primarily comes from Colombia.

If he will make a statement about Government relations with Cuba. [145037]

The Government enjoy a very good bilateral relationship with Cuba, based on open and frank discussions. Our policy is to pursue practical co-operation and critical dialogue. Like our European Union partners, we believe in constructive engagement, not isolation.

I thank my hon. Friend for that answer. May I put it to him that, as we explore and improve our economic and political co-operation with Cuba, we should not impose on Cuba through our EU common position, or on further development, conditions that would not also apply to other countries—that we should not treat Cuba differently? When representatives of the Foreign Office next meet President Bush, will they place on the record our very strong opposition to the embargo that the United States Government have placed on the Cuban people?

My hon. Friend has campaigned diligently to improve relations with Cuba over a long period, which is welcome. I remind the House that the Cuba initiative was established in 1985, following a visit to Cuba by a former Department of Trade and Industry science Minister. As a result, the Caribbean trade advisory group set up a private sector group whose aim was to strengthen United Kingdom trade and investment ties. That group celebrated its fifth anniversary recently.

Given that Cuba remains a communist dictatorship run by the man who did more than anyone else to bring the world to the brink of nuclear war, why are the Government, and Labour Back Benchers, so enamoured of that dictatorial regime?

Under the previous Government, it was a Tory Minister who went to Cuba to open diplomatic relations, so I wonder whether the shadow Ministers have had a change of line. We have good bilateral relations. Business and cultural links will increase and we intend to foster them. Yes, there is real economic hardship and poverty in Cuba, as a result of other attitudes. It seems to me that some Tory Members are locked into an out-of-date time warp. It seems that, for some of them, the pre-1989 cold war is not yet over.

Despite the trade embargo, the Minister will know of the growing influence of Cuba in the Caribbean and the fact that many countries are losing out on an opportunity. Is not the best way to encourage peaceful pluralism, democracy and economic progress to ensure that all sanctions are lifted and encourage trade and tourism? Will the Minister give the House an assurance that he will take that up with the new Administration in America?

We cannot accept that American attempts to control the activities of UK companies which do legitimate business with Cuba are fair. The Government and the European Union have made clear our opposition to the Helms-Burton arrangement and other extra-territorial legislation. I agree that those laws constrain legitimate commercial activity and are objectionable in principle. We shall continue to make that plain.

When he last had discussions with the Prime Minister of Turkey; and if he will make a statement. [145038]

My right hon. Friends the Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary met Mr. Ecevit briefly at the European Council in Nice in December. The Prime Minister also had a bilateral meeting with him in January last year, when they discussed Turkey's EU candidacy, Greek-Turkish relations, EU-Turkey bilateral relations, the Caucasus, NATO and European defence. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary meets the Foreign Minister of Turkey regularly, most recently in Brussels in December.

I thank the Minister for his comprehensive answer. Has anyone in his Department spoken to the Turkish Government about the plight of the 25,000 Kurdish people who are to be forcibly displaced to make way for the Ilisu dam? If no representations have been made, where is that ethical foreign policy?

I can assure the hon. Gentleman that we raise that matter whenever we have a discussion with our Turkish counterparts. The President of the Board of Trade has made it clear that four conditions, which he has set down, must be met before he is prepared to accede to the request for cover for the Ilisu dam. I assure the hon. Gentleman that we shall continue to raise those issues until we are satisfied that all of those conditions are met.

What sort of ethical Government foreign policy denies the genocide of Armenians in Turkey—even though the British Government at the time the genocide took place acknowledged it—because a powerful ally in NATO refuses to acknowledge the sins of the past?

The Government's foreign policy is not based on what other countries would like us to do. We have made clear our policy on that issue. That was a sad and sensitive event in the history of Armenia; that remains the position.

Do the Turkish Government accept that if Cyprus joins the European Union, there must be complete freedom of movement throughout the island? Therefore, when is the Turkish army going to leave and what is the Turkish Government's response when the Minister points out to them—as I hope he does—that Turkey must leave Cyprus, which must be restored as an independent state, and that there must be complete freedom of movement if Cyprus joins the EU?

We are in complete agreement with the talks that are going on. As the hon. Gentleman will know, the proximity talks are important. We have a special representative, Sir David Hannay, who is dealing with those matters. Of course the issue concerns the EU. We have made clear our position on Cyprus's application to join the EU. We would prefer a united island to join, but unity is not a precondition of membership. All countries involved in that issue are aware of the position, and we shall continue to do everything that we possibly can to accept and follow the statement of the Prime Minister in December 1998, when he made it clear that he wanted to see matters resolved.

What do the Turks say about the use of their Incerlik air base in Anatolia for the purpose, last Saturday, of bombing an Iraqi cattle feed factory, killing six Iraqi cowherds?

As my hon. Friend knows, Turkey is a NATO ally and has worked with the United Kingdom on a number of different conflicts. It is an ally on which we rely. As for the particular issue that he has raised, I give an assurance that I shall raise it with the Turkish ambassador when I see him this week.

Will the Minister acknowledge that the Turkish Government have real concerns about the creation of a European rapid reaction force outside NATO? Will he stop trying to pretend to the contrary?

No.

Last June, the Foreign Secretary said that "they"—the non-EU NATO members—

recognise that it is an excellent outcome for them.—[Official Report, 15 June 2000; Vol. 351, c. 1124.]

Turkey's rights … are being trampled on … EU military decisions with regard to NATO will be … made in our absence. It is impossible for us to accept this—[Interruption.]

The right hon. Gentleman is speaking for Turkey.

It is the Prime Minister of Turkey who will speak for Turkey. Who can we trust to represent the Turkish Government's view—the United Kingdom Foreign Secretary or the Turkish Prime Minister?

We have made it absolutely clear that NATO remains the bedrock of our defence policy. We have explained that so many times to the right hon. Gentleman that I feel at pains to have to explain it again to him. On every single occasion, we are consulting and discussing with Turkey as a NATO ally. Turkey is relaxed about what we are proposing to do. When it has concerns, it discusses them within the proper parameters of the continuing discussions on defence policy. We do not have to discuss those concerns with the Conservative party.

What steps he is taking to promote gender diversity inside EU institutions. [145039]

We are committed to all efforts to improve gender diversity in the workplace. We strongly support initiatives to create environments favourable to the recruitment of women, to their promotion and to their career development within the EU institutions. Our own European fast stream programme helps to recruit women to the EU institutions: in the past two years, there have been more successful women candidates than men candidates. We also supported the June 2000 council resolution calling on the EU institutions to promote the balanced recruitment of men and women. We have done well, we can do better, and we are striving to do better.

I welcome my hon. Friend's reply. Does the Government agree that encouraging women's participation in the political process is vital to democracy? If so, what advice would he give to the Conservative party, which admits that only 2 per cent. of its membership is women under 45?

Fortunately, it is not part of my brief to offer advice to the Conservative party. However, I welcome the fact that my hon. Friend has raised the issue. She was, after all, the first woman Member of Parliament from Cleethorpes in history, and her contribution in the sphere of gender diversity is well known. I assure her that the Foreign Secretary believes that it is extremely important not only that we get more women in the Foreign Office, appointed on the basis of merit, but that we encourage the European Union to appoint more women to the Commission and the Secretariat and to all the various bodies of the EU.

Further to the inquiry from the hon. Member for Cleethorpes (Shona McIsaac), will the Minister say what proportion of employees of European Union institutions are transsexuals, and how that figure compares with the achievement recorded thus far by British Departments?

I personally have no knowledge of how many members of the European Union are trans-sexuals. However, the shadow Foreign Secretary seems to spend so much time talking to so many different people, I am sure that he will be able to find a quote from a trans-sexual that he will be able to pass on to the hon. Gentleman.

I am sure that the whole House will welcome steps to make European Union institutions more representative of the communities that they serve, especially regarding women. Will my hon. Friend the Minister a comment on steps to promote ethnic diversity in our European institutions? He will be aware that there are more than 3 million Africans in France and that Germany has a large population of Muslims and Africans.

I thank my hon. Friend for raising that important issue. I am aware of all that he has done during his career to promote the cause of minority groups. I assure him that we regard diversity as relating to the employment not only of more women, but of more people from ethnic minorities. The United Kingdom has a very good story to tell about this subject. Indeed, I believe that we have a leadership role to play in the European Union. The number of Foreign Office employees who come from the ethnic minority community has doubled in its four years under my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary.

If he will make a statement on the United Nations Security Council expert panel report on the link between diamonds and the arms trade in Sierra Leone. [145040]

What assessment the Government have made of the United Nations Security Council expert panel report on the link between diamonds and the arms trade in Sierra Leone. [145045]

We welcome the hard-hitting report by the UN Sierra Leone expert panel, which exposes sanctions busters such as Victor Bout. The UN Angola monitoring mechanism ah o detailed his sinister and destructive activities. As a large part of his operations are run from the United Arab Emirates, we have urged the UAE authorities to take all possible action to close down his companies in Sharjah and Dubai. We are delivering the same message to other Governments in countries where Bout is active.

I thank my hon. Friend for that reply. Will he confirm that he believes that action should also be taken against another of the key sanctions busters named in the report, Sanjivan Ruprah? As Ruprah and his friends are supplying arms to be used against British troops in Sierra Leone, what are we going to do to stop him?

The actions of Sanjivan Ruprah are equally as odious as those of Victor Bout. He supplies diamonds and brings in arms with Victor Bout's assistance. We have barred him from entering Britain, as he sought to do last summer with his family, and we are working with the United Nations to obtain a Security Council resolution that will clamp down on his activities. He is based in Monrovia and we want smart sanctions to be taken against Liberia, which is perpetuating that mutilating war by orchestrating the rebel forces, the Revolutionary United Front.

Does my hon. Friend have any evidence of links between sanctions busters in Sierra Leone and the Democratic Republic of Congo, where diamonds and minerals help to sustain Africa's worst war? Will the Government continue to exert pressure on those involved to abide by the Lusaka agreement and to end this awful conflict?

In the murky world of African arms dealers and illicit diamond traders, there is a considerable overlap between those involved in Sierra Leone, Angola and the Congo, which has vast mineral resources. We must clamp down on all of them.

Is not there very little point in referring to the activities of the people who supply the arms that fuel the conflicts in Africa as odious if we are not prepared to take action to do something about them? Why will not this Parliament introduce on to the statute book a provision to control the activities of arms brokers and mercenaries?

On the latter point, a draft Bill, on which we are consulting, will shortly be considered in the House. It deals with precisely the sort of arms traffickers and brokers about whom the hon. Member for Somerton and Frome (Mr. Heath) is concerned. Our domestic legislation would not catch people such a Victor Bout, who is not a British citizen, and Sanjivan Ruprah, who occasionally uses a British passport, among others, and is not a British citizen.

The Minister's answer would be more convincing if he was not part of a Government who connived at putting Corporal Sankoh in charge of the diamond-producing areas of Sierra Leone. When does he expect the forces of the Sierra Leone Government to take control of the diamond-producing areas so that they can produce a royalty for the democratically elected Government, not the bandits that run Liberia?

The hon. Gentleman's reference to Corporal Sankoh constitutes a prostitution of history and the Lomé agreement—[Interruption.] Yes it does, and he should withdraw that remark.

If he will make a statement on the treatment of Jews in Iran. [145042]

The Jewish community in Iran is represented, as are other minorities, by a member in the Majlis. Judaism is among the religions recognised by the Iranian constitution. Jewish Iranians are free to run businesses and enjoy their culture, although the right to hold public office is circumscribed. However, we remain very concerned at the sentencing of 10 Jews and two Muslims on espionage charges.

I strongly commend my hon. Friend on the clear line that he has taken. Did he make it clear to the Iranian ambassador when he met him yesterday that those who choose to hold the most obnoxious show trials of people whose only crime is being Jewish not only undermine any pretence to decent government in their country, but make it impossible for any nation outside Iran to support its future inclusion in international agreements?

I am pleased to assure my hon. Friend that I raised the matter with the ambassador when I saw him yesterday. I expressed the Government's—and, I am sure, the whole House's—deep anxiety about the trial. My hon. Friend's description of it is accurate. Although there is a reforming regime in Iran, led by President Khatami, reactionary forces seek to hold back those reforms. They continue to control the judiciary. They have used the trial reprehensibly, and the victims are there for all to see. We must continue to engage with Iran, support President Khatami's reform process and encourage his resistance to the reactionary forces by providing the international engagement and support for reform that Iran so desperately needs.

While we all want reform in. Iran, is not the hon. Member for Crewe and Nantwich (Mrs. Dunwoody) right to say that the trial fell far short of international standards of justice? While the 10 members of the Jewish community and two Muslims languish in jail in Iran, there is a serious blemish on Iran's human rights record. As the hon. Lady rightly said, it is a serious impediment to relations between this country and Iran. Will the Minister take every opportunity to impress that on the Iranian Government for as long as those unfortunate individuals continue to suffer injustice?

I am happy to give that assurance. My hon. Friend the Member for Harrow, West (Mr. Thomas) has raised that matter often in the House, for which I applaud him. The sentences have been reduced—that is a welcome development—and we continue to press for the Iranian authorities to show clemency. However, we must recognise that the way in which we do that is important because we could play into the hands of reactionary forces. They do not want western engagement or to make friends with the international community; they want to return to the belligerent isolationism of the 1980s and early 1990s.

Does my hon. Friend agree that Iran's role in arming Hezbollah to provoke terrorism along Israel's northern border intensifies concern about Iran's treatment of its Jews?

Yes, I agree with my hon. Friend. That is precisely why my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary and I have raised the issue specifically with the Iranian Government at the highest possible level, whenever we have had the opportunity. Hezbollah does not operate on its own—it has supporters in Syria and Iran, and the sooner that support is cut off, the better.

This week, in particular, when we remember the holocaust and what has, at times, been the terrible historic persecution of Jewish minorities, is the hon. Gentleman aware that nothing further has been heard about a possible annulment of the verdicts against the 10 Iranian Jews since 25 October? Will he press for progress to he made on that specific point?

I am happy to agree with the hon. Gentleman, and to say yes, we are pressing for specific progress on that issue: I did so yesterday. May I remind him that this Government introduced the national holocaust day, on which we remember the dreadful genocide committed by the Nazis against the Jews during and before the second world war? We shall continue to ensure that no one in Britain ever forgets that awful legacy.

What representations he has received from the Polish community in Britain about the ratification of the treaty of Nice. [145044]

Both the Federation of Poles in Great Britain and the Government of Poland have expressed their welcome for the outcome of the Nice European Council and their recognition of Britain's contribution in securing it. We have replied to the letter from the federation assuring it that we will seek early ratification of the treaty of Nice in order that Poland and others can become members of the European Union as soon as possible. I invite the Opposition spokesman to give the federation the same commitment.

I thank my right hon. Friend for that reply. I think that he knows that there is a significant Polish community in my constituency of Plymouth, Sutton. I am sure that many of its members will join me in welcoming the treaty. Is it not absolutely clear that what the countries of east and central Europe want most from the European Union is speedy ratification of the treaty? Would it not be a terrible betrayal of those countries if we were to reject the treaty, given that they have suffered so much under Soviet rule?

My hon. Friend is absolutely right. Across all the applicant countries, there is acute interest in how we shall respond to the treaty of Nice. A number of them have warned us that if the European Union does not proceed with the treaty, it will strengthen the hand of nationalists and extreme forces within their countries. It is, therefore, important that we proceed with the measures.

When will the full, definitive English translation of the treaty of Nice be made available, so that the British people can fully understand those horrible aspects of the treaty that do not bear on the expansion of the union to the east, but bear on the liberties of the British people?

There is a full English text of the treaty, and I shall be happy to deliver one to the hon. Gentleman this afternoon.

Can my right hon. Friend confirm that the Government are committed to the maximum possible enlargement of the European Union, and that, if that happens, institutional changes in the organisation will be required to make it more efficient? Can he also confirm that although those who believe that we can reject the Nice treaty or hold up the process of institutional change pretend to favour enlargement, they are in effect saying to Poland and other countries in central and eastern Europe that, in reality, enlargement will not happen if we ever have another Conservative Government in this country?

There will be no enlargement without reform of the Council, the Commission and the European Parliament. That is what we secured at Nice. I remind the House that the outcome is good not simply for enlargement and the candidate countries, but for Britain. For the first time since we joined the European Community, we secured an increase in Britain's vote in the Council of Ministers. It is that gain that the Opposition describe as a horrible outcome.

What recent discussions he has had with his Swedish counterpart on preparations for the forthcoming enlargement of the European Union; and if he will make a statement. [145046]

At yesterday's meeting of the General Affairs Council, I welcomed the commitment of the Swedish presidency to give enlargement of the European Union -the highest priority".

I thank the Foreign Secretary for that full reply. Does he share my pleasure that enlargement has been made one of the top priorities? Does he share my concern that agriculture should be made the top priority to enable sufficient time to be taken to negotiate what is probably the most difficult policy area, in particular to help the Baltic states and Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic to join when we hope they will join, by 2004–05?

I agree that agriculture will be one of the more difficult dossiers for negotiation. It is important that we proceed with reform of agriculture policy, but it is equally important that we do not make that a condition of enlargement; otherwise, those who oppose agricultural reform will find that that is a basis on which to oppose enlargement.

When my right hon. Friend meets the Swedish Government to discuss EU enlargement, will he be prepared to raise the Turkish application to join and whether the human rights situation, the number of people in prison, prison conditions, the number of people on hunger strike and the denial of human rights to so many people in Turkey renders that country ineligible to join?

The simple fact is that if Turkey is to proceed with its candidacy, it must meet the Copenhagen criteria on political and legal reforms and respect for ethnic minorities. All those in Turkey who have campaigned for such reforms enthusiastically support Turkey's application to join the EU because they consider that to be one of the strongest levers that they have to deliver the reforms that are important to them and important to my hon. Friend. There is no prospect of negotiations starting until Turkey meets those political conditions.

As we approach national holocaust day, does the Secretary of State agree that perhaps the best memorial that we could raise to the victims of Nazism and Stalinism in Europe would be the creation of an enlarged Europe embracing the countries of the Baltic and eastern Europe?

I agree absolutely and share the hon. Gentleman's view. One of the greatest gains from enlargement will be that the countries of central and eastern Europe will have underpinned the freedoms, the justice and the stability that we in western Europe currently enjoy. That will be a gain for them; it will also be a gain for us.

What steps have been taken to promote trade with North Korea since the establishment of diplomatic relations with that country. [145047]

Recent developments in relations between South and North Korea are good news and, as part of our establishment of diplomatic relations, we are taking steps to promote trade relations with North Korea.

It is indeed good news that the so-called hermit kingdom is, after half a century, emerging into the daylight. A North Korean delegation is coming to Westminster next week or the week after. My concern is that 20 million North Koreans exist on the edge of starvation—there are terrible famines there—and 2 million have already perished. We established diplomatic relations last month, but what can we do to follow that through by achieving improved trade relations and, in particular, by boosting North Korea's agricultural sectors so that it can feed its own people?

Trade Partners UK, in consultation with the Korean business advisory group, is preparing detailed advice for British business. That advice, which will be available from March this year, is expected to be regularly updated as our relationship develops and our understanding of North Korea improves.