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Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Answer

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions (a) he, (b) members of his Department and (c) representatives of the UK Government abroad have had with (i) members and (ii) representatives of the governments of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and (A) Angola, (B) Zambia, (C) Tanzania, (D) Burundi, (E) Uganda, (F) Sudan, (G) Central African Republic and (H) the People's Republic of the Congo regarding the (1) possibility, (2) viability and (3) desirability of the implementation of Joint Border Verification Mechanisms between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and each of the above mentioned countries along the model of the Joint Border Verification Mechanism between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda for the amelioration and stabilisation of the (x) security and (y) humanitarian situation of the border regions of the Democratic Republic of the Congo; and if he will make a statement. [220291] Mr. Mullin: A Joint Verification Mechanism (JVM) is already in operation between the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda. We have discussed with the DRC government the possible extension of the JVM to include Burundi. We supported international efforts which brought Burundi into the Tripartite Agreement on Regional Security in the Great Lakes. We have not discussed the further extension of the JVM but we support the Great Lakes Conference process. At its summit in Dar Es Salaam in November 2004 the heads of state of Angola, Burundi, Central African Republic, Congo-Brazzaville, DRC, Kenya, Rwanda, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia made a declaration containing guarantees on security and good neighbourliness. Senior UK officials were involved at the summit, and the Department for International Development has contributed over £250,000 to the costs of the Conference so far.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

431 c1888-9W;431 c1882W; 220291

Session

2004-05

Subjects

Borders Human rights Free movement of people Democratic Republic of the Congo

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk