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European Union: Forthcoming Council Business
Lord Hughes of Woodside asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What is the forthcoming business in the Council of the European Union for February; and what are the major European Union events for the period between 1 February and 31 July 2001. [HL620]
Baroness Scotland of Asthal: Forthcoming EU business in February is as follows: 8-9--Stockholm--Justice and Home Affairs Council 12--Brussels--ECOFIN Council 12--Brussels--Education/Youth Council 12--Brussels--Research Council 15-17--Lulea--Employment/Telecommunications (Informal) 19-20--Brussels--Agriculture Council 25--Brussels--Informal Trade Ministers Dinner 26--Brussels--General Affairs Council
No agendas for the above are available at present.
The following are the principal events in the EU between 1 March and July 2001 (certain relevant events are also included: the list is based on the information available at the date of issue.)
| Date | Location | Event |
| March | ||
| 6 | Brussels | Employment and Social Affairs Council |
| 8 | Brussels | Environment Council |
| 12 | Brussels | ECOFIN Council |
| 12 | Brussels | Internal Market/Consumer Council |
| 15 | Brussels | Justice and Home Affairs Council |
| 16 | Brussels | Justice and Home Affairs Council |
| 19 | Brussels | Agriculture Council |
| 19 | Brussels | General Affairs Council |
| 20 | Brussels | General Affairs Council |
| 20-21 | Brussels | Fisheries Council (possible) |
| 23-24 | Stockholm | European Council |
| 31-1 | Brussels | Informal Meeting of Ministers of the Environment |
| April | ||
| 5-6 | Brussels | Transport/Telecommunications Council |
| 8-10 | Brussels | General Affairs Council |
| 8-10 | Brussels | Agriculture Council (Informal) |
| 24-25 | Brussels | Agriculture Council |
| May | ||
| 5-6 | Brussels | Gymnich |
| 7 | Brussels | ECOFIN Council |
| 7 | Brussels | Employment and Social Council (possible) |
| 14-15 | Brussels | General Affairs Council |
| 14-15 | Brussels | Industry and Energy Council |
| 22-23 | Brussels | Agriculture Council |
| 28-29 | Brussels | Justice and Home Affairs Council |
| 28 | Brussels | Education and Youth Council |
| 30 | Brussels | Development Council |
| 31 | Brussels | Health Council |
| June | ||
| 5 | Brussels | ECOFIN Council |
| 5 | Brussels | Internal Market/Consumer Council |
| 7-8 | Brussels | Environment Council |
| 11-12 | Brussels | General Affairs Council |
| 11 | Brussels | Employment/Social Affairs Council |
| 15-16 | Gothenburg | European Council |
| 18 | Brussels | Fisheries Council (possible) |
| 19-20 | Brussels | Agriculture Council |
| 19 | Brussels | ECOFIN Council (possible) |
| 21 | Brussels | Culture Council |
| 25-26 | Brussels | General Affairs Council |
| 26 | Brussels | Research Council |
| 27-28 | Brussels | Transport/Telecommunications Council |
| July | ||
| 6-7 | Brussels | Informal Employment and Social Affairs Council |
| 10 | Brussels | ECOFIN Council |
| 13-14 | Brussels | Regional Territories Council (Informal)? |
| 16-17 | Brussels | General Affairs Council |
| 20 | Brussels | Budget Council |
| 23-24 | Brussels | Agriculture Council |
Armenian Massacre, 1915
Lord Biffen asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they will list the factors which have dissuaded them from acknowledging as genocide the Armenian massacre in 1915. [HL510]
Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The Government, in line with previous British Governments, have judged the evidence not to be sufficiently unequivocal to persuade us that these events should be categorised as genocide as defined by the 1948 UN Convention on Genocide, a convention which was drafted in response to the Holocaust and is not retrospective in application. The interpretation of events in Eastern Anatolia in 1915-16 is still the subject of genuine debate amongst historians.
Overseas Estate
The Earl of Caithness asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What plans they have for any disposals of the overseas estate. [HL499]
Baroness Scotland of Asthal: In accordance with resource accounting and an asset recycling agreement with the Treasury, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office is engaged in a rolling programme of rationalisation and modernisation of the overseas estate, including disposal of properties which do not provide value for money.
Ambassador's Residence, Buenos Aires
Lord Hylton asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether it is their intention to sell the British Ambassador's residence in Buenos Aires; and, if so, why.[HL455]
Baroness Scotland of Asthal: In accordance with resource accounting and an asset recycling agreement with the Treasury, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office is reviewing the value for money provided by all its owned properties, including the Ambassador's
residence in Buenos Aires. No decisions have yet been taken on the future of this property.Northern Iraq: Withdrawal of Turkish Forces
Lord Hylton asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What steps they and their allies are taking to secure the withdrawal of Turkish armed forces from the Kandil mountains and the countries of Ranya and the Hadji-Omran in northern Iraq, near the frontier of Iran.[HL477]
Baroness Scotland of Asthal: We have closely monitored the recent incursions into northern Iraq which began in December, and we will continue to do so. We are in contact with the Turkish authorities and the US as co-sponsors of the Kurdistan Democratic Party/Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (KDP/PUK) reconciliation process, to achieve peace and stability in northern Iraq for all those who live there.
However, we have not taken any specific steps to secure the withdrawal of Turkish forces from the area in question, and we are not aware of any action by other governments to do so.
Ozgur Politika: Importation and Distribution in Turkey
Lord Hylton asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they will ask the Government of Turkey to remove their ban on the importation and distribution of the newspaper Ozgur Politika, published in Frankfurt, Germany.[HL479]
Baroness Scotland of Asthal: It is not clear whether Ozgur Politika has been officially banned in Turkey. We understand that the newspaper has never been imported or distributed in Turkey. But we have been informed that it can be read on the Internet by Turkish readers.
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