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Sustainable Development (Government Estate)
Mr. Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps have been taken by his Department to review arrangements for public reporting of sustainable development impacts under the Framework for Sustainable Development on the Government Estate. [181237]
Mr. Rammell: We reviewed our public reporting of sustainable development impacts when the first part of the Framework for Sustainable Development on the Government Estate was issued in July 2002. We continue to report publicly data against all Sustainable Development in Government targets annually and to respond on our website (www.fco.gov.uk) within four months of targets being published. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) is currently in the process of developing a Sustainable Development Strategy that will outline our sustainable development objectives for the next three years. The performance of the FCO Estate against sustainable development targets will be covered as part of our reporting against this strategy.
Mr. Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what arrangements his Department has made to report publicly on key sustainable development impacts pursuant to the Framework for Sustainable Development on the Government Estate. [181238]
Mr. Rammell: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office reports annually to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on key sustainable development impacts covered by the Framework for Sustainable Development on the Government Estate. This material is made public as part of the Sustainable Development in Government annual report published by the Sustainable Development Unit at Defra. In addition we publicly respond on our website (www.fco.gov.uk) within four months of new Sustainable Development in Government targets being published.
Mr. Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what changes there have been in (a) road transport vehicle carbon dioxide emissions and (b) single occupancy car commuting in his Department against the baseline year, as set out in the Framework for Sustainable Development on the Government Estate. [181239]
Mr. Rammell: We are still in the process of collating 2003–04 data on our road transport vehicle carbon dioxide emissions. This will be made publicly available in the autumn as part of the Sustainable Development in Government report published by Defra.
Single occupancy car commuting remains unchanged from the baseline year.
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Turkmenistan
Julie Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the United Kingdom's relations with Turkmenistan. [181078]
Mr. Rammell: The UK's relationship with Turkmenistan covers a number of areas. We continue to run a Chevening Scholarship programme; offer support to public access internet centres, English resource centres and to cultural projects, including the production of a directory aimed at raising international awareness of Turkmen traditions and culture. There are two UK-registered companies operating oilfields in Turkmenistan and we continue to support anti-narcotics measures with an inspection shed on the Afghan border currently nearing completion.
However, the UK remains seriously concerned at the human rights situation in Turkmenistan. The UK, in conjunction with the EU, US and like-minded partners, continues to pursue a critical dialogue with the Turkmen Government on human rights issues. We welcomed positive recent decrees, including on the registration of religious minorities; the decriminalising of unregistered religious minority activity and we have also welcomed the indication that the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) will have limited access to prisons. However, it is important that these positive intentions are matched by positive actions. We will continue to press for ICRC access to all prisoners, the repeal of restrictive legislation such as criminalisation of non-registered NGO activity, and we will continue to lobby on individual cases.
Julie Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Government of Turkmenistan regarding human rights in that country. [181079]
Mr. Rammell:
We remain seriously concerned about human rights in Turkmenistan, including the plight of those convicted following the reported coup attempt in November 2002; the harassment of Turkmen opposition figures in exile; the tight controls over the individual freedoms of all Turkmen citizens; the apparent degradation of the education system; the comprehensive restrictions on freedom of expression; and increased
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evidence of state-sponsored ethnic discrimination. In their submission to the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development in Spring 2004, Human Rights Watch described Turkmenistan as one of the most repressive countries in the world.
The United Kingdom actively supported the tabling and adoption of country resolutions at the 59th and 60th Sessions of the UN Committee on Human Rights (UNCHR) and a further country resolution at the Third Committee of the UN General Assembly. These welcomed the limited positive steps taken by the Turkmen Government but also highlighted the many outstanding areas of concern. We have also lobbied the Turkmen Government on for example, International Committee for the Red Cross (ICRC) access to prisoners, reported discrimination against holders of foreign qualifications and religious freedoms as well as individual cases, including Rahim Esenov, a 78-year-old author arrested in February 2004 for allegedly criticising the regime. Mr. Esenov was subsequently released in March.
Following this sustained international pressure, including from the United Kingdom, there are small indications that the Turkmen Government are willing to engage in dialogue on human rights issues. The Turkmen Government organised in October 2003 a regional conflict prevention forum in Ashgabat under UN auspices. Turkmenistan sent a high level delegation, headed by the Foreign Minister, to Brussels for the EC/Turkmenistan Joint Committee meeting in January 2004. In March the Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights sent a needs assessment mission to Ashgabat to help its preparation of reports to UN Treaty bodies.
The restrictive recent legislation on exit visas and the criminalisation of non-registered religious minority activity have been repealed; the Baha'is and the Seventh Day Adventists have been able to register as religious minorities and several Jehovah's Witness conscientious objectors, including Kurban Zakirov have been released.
But much more remains to be done. We will continue to monitor the implementation of recent positive decrees and to push for further progress on human rights issues.