Written question asked by Baroness Tonge (Liberal Democrat) on Thursday, 3 May 2001, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Friday, 11 May 2001. It was answered by Keith Vaz (Labour) on Friday, 11 May 2001 on behalf of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to his counterparts in Turkmenistan regarding the imprisonment of Shageldy Atakav; and if he will make a statement.

Answer: Dr. Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to his counterparts in Turkmenistan regarding the imprisonment of Shageldy Atakov; and if he will make a statement. [160714] Mr. Vaz: On 23 February the British Government, with EU partners and the US, issued a demarche to the Turkmen Foreign Minister regarding reports that Mr. Shageldy Atakov had been beaten and that he was seriously ill, and called for his release on humanitarian grounds. In the absence of a formal response from the Turkmen Foreign Minister, EU and US Ambassadors called on him again on 2 May to press him once more to release Mr. Atakov. The Foreign Minister maintained that as Mr. Atakov refused to ask the Turkmen Government for a pardon he could not be released except under a general amnesty. The Government will continue to press the Turkmen Government for Mr. Atakov's release.

Secondary information