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Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Answer

Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the European Commission regarding (a) the role of Zimbabwe in the forthcoming meeting of the ACP-EU, and (b) the presence there of Zimbabwean ministers who are on the travel ban list. [80603] Mr. Rammell: The forthcoming meeting of the European Union-African Caribbean Pacific (EU/ACP) Joint Parliamentary Assembly is a matter for the respective Parliaments. Invitations were made by the co- Secretariat of the EU/ACP. Those attending from ACP countries are entitled to certain privileges and immunities under the Lome and Cotonou Agreements. The EU' s Common Position 2002/145/CFSP imposing sanctions on Zimbabwe specifically allows member states to grant exemptions where travel is justified on grounds of attending meetings of international bodies. On 7 November Belgium alerted EU partners to the request from Christopher Kuruneri, Zimbabwe's Deputy Minister for Finance and Paul Mangwana, Minister of State for State Enterprises, for visas to attend the EU/ACP meeting. Both are on the EU travel ban list. Under the terms of the Lome and Cotonou Agreements, Belgium had a legal obligation to grant these visas, since these agreements override Council decisions on sanctions. The Belgian Government undertook to attach maximum restrictions. The banned individuals were granted visas only for the period 19-29 November, restricted to the territory of Belgium.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

80603; 395 c199-200W

Session

2002-03

Subjects

Travel Sanctions European Commission Zimbabwe Visits abroad ACP countries ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly

Link

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