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Israel
10. Mr. Eric Pickles (Brentwood and Ongar): If he will make a statement on current relations between the UK and Israel. [36540]
The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Mr. Derek Fatchett): We enjoy a full range of contacts with Israel. My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister is looking forward to his visit to Israel later this month as part of a tour of the middle east.
Mr. Pickles: Does the Minister agree that the United Kingdom remains a firm friend of Israel, and that one of the duties of a friend is sometimes to give unpalatable advice? On reflection, does he feel that the conduct of his right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary--in terms of the mixture, or balance, of those whom he met, and in terms of the choice of location and the language used--precluded Britain from taking such a position of influence, because it was undiplomatic? What advice will the Minister offer the Prime Minister to repair the damage that the Foreign Secretary did to Israeli-British relations?
Mr. Fatchett: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary's visit was a success, and I have every confidence that my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister's visit to Israel will be a similar success.
Mr. Ernie Ross (Dundee, West): Through my hon. Friend, let me congratulate my right hon. Friend the
Foreign Secretary on his recent visit to the middle east. It is clear from the reports from both Israel and Arab countries that the visit was an unqualified success.
Does my hon. Friend agree that the one thing that we need to know about foreign policy in the middle east is that those who have dealings with the parties there must be honest, straightforward and truthful? Is he, like me, saddened by the fact that Opposition Back Benchers seem to have given up on the bilateral agreement that we reached across the Floor of the House, and that they, more than anyone else, are likely to undermine the influence of Britain and the European Union in the middle east, where it is essential?
Mr. Fatchett:
I am delighted to say that we are not responsible for the behaviour of Opposition Back Benchers. That task would be too great for even this Government.
My hon. Friend is right. We have in the European Union a clear statement of principles. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary always acted in accordance with those principles: that is why his conduct and his visit to the middle east were endorsed by European Union Foreign Ministers. We have been able to show that Europe can make a significant contribution to the peace process.
Dr. Julian Lewis (New Forest, East):
Does the Minister recognise the incredulity with which members of my party have observed the Foreign Secretary patting himself on the back for the success of his visit, with typically lickspittle Liberal Democrat support? Does he not recall that his visit was summed up by a leader in The Times in two words--"diplomatic disaster"? Does he not realise that members of all parties in the House, whatever they may say publicly, are secretly relieved--given the contribution that the Foreign Secretary made to that peace process--that he is not involved in the current attempted peace process in Northern Ireland?
Mr. Fatchett:
I think that, on reflection, the hon. Gentleman will accept that that question was unworthy even of his own normal standards.
Throughout the lifetime of this Government, we have said that we have a keen commitment to the peace process, and we will continue that commitment. Let me tell the hon. Gentleman that the only way in which to make progress in the middle east is to ensure that we push the peace process forward. That is what we want to do. Rather than making cheap, snide comments from the Back Benches--or, indeed, from the Front Bench--we want to get on with the real agenda. We are engaged in that, and will continue to be engaged in it.
Mr. David Winnick (Walsall, North):
I have supported the state of Israel since its establishment 50 years ago, and have defended its right to combat aggression and terror like any other state, but is my hon. Friend aware that many of us are deeply disappointed at the actions of the current Israeli Government? Is not it absolutely clear that home truths should be told to the Israelis, as my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has done, and that there can be no justice in the middle east until the Palestinian people have a state of their own, alongside the Jewish state?
Mr. Fatchett:
My hon. Friend is right to say that there can be no peace in the middle east until there is justice
11. Mr. William Cash (Stone):
If he will make a statement on EU enlargement following the European conference in London on 12 March. [36542]
The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Mr. Robin Cook):
The European conference successfully held its first meeting in London on 12 March. Last week in Brussels, we launched accession partnerships with the central Europeans and Cyprus, and the European Union has opened accession negotiations with the six countries that are ready to proceed.
We are embarked on the largest expansion in the history of the EU. The enthusiasm of 11 more countries to become members of it demonstrates their view of its success as the basis for prosperity and security. I am sure that the hon. Gentleman will endorse their view.
Mr. Cash:
Cannot the Foreign Secretary see that the results of the proposed enlargement are reflected in opinion polls, for example, in Poland, which show decreased enthusiasm for deeper integration? That is the direct result of the rumbling of the fact that the new Europe, which new Labour is encouraging in its presidency, is an over-centralised, undemocratic, unaccountable Europe, which is going in exactly the opposite direction to that in which the people of central and eastern Europe really want to go.
Mr. Cook:
I am not sure how the hon. Gentleman has spent the past year; the thrust of Government policy is to decentralise rather than to over-centralise, in plain contrast to the policy of the previous Conservative Government. As to lack of democracy, more people have attended open meetings of European Union Councils in Brussels in the first half of the British presidency than ever attended such meetings in the whole of any previous presidency. We have already set a new record for openness.
I warmly welcome the words of the Polish Foreign Minister on returning to Warsaw--that he strongly supports the new central role that Britain is playing in Europe. If the hon. Gentleman listened to those in government in Poland, he would find that they regard his view of the EU as wholly wrong; they will carry their people with them.
Mr. Robert N. Wareing (Liverpool, West Derby):
In Latvia and in Estonia, which is being considered for membership of the European Union, large Russian minorities are denied citizen and human rights. Does my right hon. Friend accept that there should be no question of those countries being permitted to accede to the European Union until the situation there is put to rights?
Mr. Cook:
My hon. Friend touches on what is undoubtedly a big internal issue for Latvia and Estonia. Both countries, especially Estonia, which is in the front rank for accession to the European Union, have made
Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):
Will the Foreign Secretary give the House an assurance that, on the date that they are expected to join the European Union, the applicant countries will meet the same high standards of animal welfare and environmental protection as are achieved in the existing member states?
Mr. Cook:
I can assure the hon. Lady that the applicant countries must meet the full acquis of the European Union. At the point of membership, they must either be fully in conformity with all existing regulations or have tight and well-defined limits on the transition periods to achieving that. Enlargement is important precisely because the environmental standards of some central and eastern European countries are well below those of western Europe. We stand to lose as a result of the pollution and environmental hazards in those countries, so it is in our interests to bring them into the European Union and up to our standards.
13. Mr. Bob Blizzard (Waveney):
What assessment he has made of the progress of weapons inspectors in Iraq since the UN Secretary-General's agreement with Saddam Hussein. [36544]
The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Mr. Derek Fatchett):
I am satisfied that Iraq has so far adhered to the commitments it gave to the United Nations Secretary-General on 23 February. At present, it is allowing weapons inspections to proceed in line with its obligations under relevant Security Council resolutions.
Mr. Blizzard:
I thank my hon. Friend for that reply. Given the current situation, compared with that of just a few months ago, has not the Government's policy of taking a tough stance with Saddam Hussein been completely vindicated? Has not that policy improved peace prospects in that part of the globe?
Mr. Fatchett:
I agree with my hon. Friend. The position taken by the Government and supported by the other political parties in the House was the right one to take. When he was in Baghdad, Kofi Annan acknowledged that the threat of force helped in the negotiations. It is in all our interests for the agreement to be adhered to, and we shall continue to monitor the situation closely.
Mr. Tim Collins (Westmorland and Lonsdale):
Given what the Minister has just said, will he continue to resist the requests of some Labour Members, which were aired yesterday in Defence questions, to withdraw British forces from the Gulf? Will he instead keep them in place and
Mr. Fatchett:
I had a meeting last week with Richard Butler of UNSCOM, who told me what was happening on the ground and that UNSCOM was able to carry out its work. It is important that we maintain our vigilance: we must be cautious and must not become over-optimistic about the delivery of the agreement. We want the agreement to be honoured, and it is important that we free Iraq of weapons of mass destruction. It is essential for UNSCOM to get on with its work unfettered.
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