My right honourable friend the Minister for Europe (Geoff Hoon) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement. My right honourable friend the Foreign Secretary (Margaret Beckett) and Sir John Grant (UK permanent representative to the EU) represented the UK at the General Affairs and External Relations Council (GAERC) in Luxembourg....

My right honourable friend the Minister for Europe (Geoff Hoon) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement. My right honourable friend the Foreign Secretary (Margaret Beckett) and Sir John Grant (UK permanent representative to the EU) represented the UK at the General Affairs and External Relations Council (GAERC) in Luxembourg....

My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary and Sir John Grant (UK Permanent Representative to the EU) represented the UK at the General Affairs and External Relations Council (GAERC) in Luxembourg on 23 April 2007. The agenda items covered were as follows: External Relations World Trade Organisation/Doha Development Round External...

My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary and Sir John Grant (UK Permanent Representative to the EU) represented the UK at the General Affairs and External Relations Council (GAERC) in Luxembourg on 23 April 2007. The agenda items covered were as follows: External Relations World Trade Organisation/Doha Development Round External...

Westminster Hall adjournment debate on UK relations with Lebanon and Syria.

Westminster Hall adjournment debate on UK relations with Lebanon and Syria.

I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman. That is an issue that I should have covered. The President of Syria spelled out clearly that Syria had secular government, while Iran clearly did not, and that they are different kinds of Governments. He said in his analysis of the system in...

I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman. That is an issue that I should have covered. The President of Syria spelled out clearly that Syria had secular government, while Iran clearly did not, and that they are different kinds of Governments. He said in his analysis of the system in...

I am listening carefully to the right hon. Lady’s comments. I know that she was part of a delegation that recently visited Lebanon and Syria. Before she concludes her remarks, will she say whether aid is getting through to the south of Lebanon? I visited the country with a delegation...

I am listening carefully to the right hon. Lady’s comments. I know that she was part of a delegation that recently visited Lebanon and Syria. Before she concludes her remarks, will she say whether aid is getting through to the south of Lebanon? I visited the country with a delegation...

I am pleased to have this opportunity to debate UK relations with Lebanon and Syria. I applied for the debate because in early January I was a member of the Anglo Arab Organisation’s all-party delegation to Lebanon and Syria. The delegation was led by Lord David Steel and Jacques Santer,...

I am pleased to have this opportunity to debate UK relations with Lebanon and Syria. I applied for the debate because in early January I was a member of the Anglo Arab Organisation’s all-party delegation to Lebanon and Syria. The delegation was led by Lord David Steel and Jacques Santer,...

First, I want to apologise to the right hon. Lady for being unable to stay for the whole of her debate, as I have to attend a Public Bill Committee on the UK Borders Bill. I would be interested in her comments on the nature of the relationship between Iran...

First, I want to apologise to the right hon. Lady for being unable to stay for the whole of her debate, as I have to attend a Public Bill Committee on the UK Borders Bill. I would be interested in her comments on the nature of the relationship between Iran...

I cannot answer my hon. Friend authoritatively, in that I did not do an extensive survey, but comments were made to us. We met some of the United Nations peacekeepers who were deployed down on the border, and people were saying that the only help that they were getting was...

I cannot answer my hon. Friend authoritatively, in that I did not do an extensive survey, but comments were made to us. We met some of the United Nations peacekeepers who were deployed down on the border, and people were saying that the only help that they were getting was...

I, too, congratulate the right hon. Member for Birmingham, Ladywood (Clare Short) on securing the debate. As she has said, the purpose of her debate on UK relations with Lebanon is to report back on her visit there and to seek a more balanced approach to the middle east, as...

I, too, congratulate the right hon. Member for Birmingham, Ladywood (Clare Short) on securing the debate. As she has said, the purpose of her debate on UK relations with Lebanon is to report back on her visit there and to seek a more balanced approach to the middle east, as...

I am happy to accept that. The right hon. Lady speaks with great authority on these matters, so I stand corrected. Our Prime Minister supported the US in its comment on 7 December 2006 that before Syria could sit down to negotiate with the US it would have to take...

I am happy to accept that. The right hon. Lady speaks with great authority on these matters, so I stand corrected. Our Prime Minister supported the US in its comment on 7 December 2006 that before Syria could sit down to negotiate with the US it would have to take...

The British ambassador briefed us that Syria has made considerable efforts to police that border and to prevent incursions. That should be recorded.

The British ambassador briefed us that Syria has made considerable efforts to police that border and to prevent incursions. That should be recorded.

I hope to be able to report directly on that to my hon. Friend and to the House after my visit to the Lebanon, but he is right that it is a key issue. I do not think that there is really a shortage of funding. The Paris III conference...

I hope to be able to report directly on that to my hon. Friend and to the House after my visit to the Lebanon, but he is right that it is a key issue. I do not think that there is really a shortage of funding. The Paris III conference...

It certainly would. The return of prisoners on both sides would be a big step forward. The right hon. Lady will understand that negotiations are undoubtedly going on and back channels will have been opened. It is the kind of situation in which I should like my right hon. Friend...

It certainly would. The return of prisoners on both sides would be a big step forward. The right hon. Lady will understand that negotiations are undoubtedly going on and back channels will have been opened. It is the kind of situation in which I should like my right hon. Friend...

The critical factor is whether people continue to have trust, and to believe that the words and figures used by the international community will be realised on the ground. When I was there, which was some months ago, there was concern. I wanted to find out whether people had completely...

The critical factor is whether people continue to have trust, and to believe that the words and figures used by the international community will be realised on the ground. When I was there, which was some months ago, there was concern. I wanted to find out whether people had completely...

I, too, thank the right hon. Member for Birmingham, Ladywood (Clare Short) for giving us this opportunity to discuss the United Kingdom’s relationship with Syria and Lebanon. As she told us, she recently visited both countries, so she is well placed to initiate the debate. As she said, the events...

I, too, thank the right hon. Member for Birmingham, Ladywood (Clare Short) for giving us this opportunity to discuss the United Kingdom’s relationship with Syria and Lebanon. As she told us, she recently visited both countries, so she is well placed to initiate the debate. As she said, the events...

On the matter of the detained Israeli soldiers and Lebanon’s request for the return of some of its prisoners, I think that the UN was supposed to be leading negotiations to try to obtain a package of agreement. Has there been any progress with that? It would obviously help to...

On the matter of the detained Israeli soldiers and Lebanon’s request for the return of some of its prisoners, I think that the UN was supposed to be leading negotiations to try to obtain a package of agreement. Has there been any progress with that? It would obviously help to...

I join my colleagues in congratulating the right hon. Member for Birmingham, Ladywood (Clare Short) on securing this debate. One of my great sadnesses is that she now sits on the Independent Benches rather than with the Government. This is a timely debate, because now and over the next few...

I join my colleagues in congratulating the right hon. Member for Birmingham, Ladywood (Clare Short) on securing this debate. One of my great sadnesses is that she now sits on the Independent Benches rather than with the Government. This is a timely debate, because now and over the next few...

I congratulate the right hon. Member for Birmingham, Ladywood (Clare Short) on securing this important debate. My brief remarks will fall into two sections. I shall concentrate on the terms of an all-party early-day motion on Syria that I intend to table later today, but I shall also say a...

I congratulate the right hon. Member for Birmingham, Ladywood (Clare Short) on securing this important debate. My brief remarks will fall into two sections. I shall concentrate on the terms of an all-party early-day motion on Syria that I intend to table later today, but I shall also say a...

As I have less than three minutes, I shall simply ask the Minister two questions, without commenting on them, and comment on one issue. First, will the Minister comment on what Walid Jumblatt, the Druze leader, is reported to have said over the weekend? Secondly, I believe that the concept...

As I have less than three minutes, I shall simply ask the Minister two questions, without commenting on them, and comment on one issue. First, will the Minister comment on what Walid Jumblatt, the Druze leader, is reported to have said over the weekend? Secondly, I believe that the concept...

Thank you, Miss Begg. I am grateful to the right hon. Member for Birmingham, Ladywood (Clare Short) for introducing this important debate, and I look forward to the Minister engaging constructively with us when he responds to the various concerns that have been raised. We join the international community in...

Thank you, Miss Begg. I am grateful to the right hon. Member for Birmingham, Ladywood (Clare Short) for introducing this important debate, and I look forward to the Minister engaging constructively with us when he responds to the various concerns that have been raised. We join the international community in...