Queen's speech debate (fourth day) on foreign affairs and defence.

Queen's speech debate (fourth day) on foreign affairs and defence.

Yes; my hon. Friend raises an important point, not least in the light of the Biden-Lugar Bill, sponsored by the now Vice President-elect in his previous capacity as a Senator, which proposed a tripling of American aid to Pakistan. We all know that it is not just spending aid money,...

Yes; my hon. Friend raises an important point, not least in the light of the Biden-Lugar Bill, sponsored by the now Vice President-elect in his previous capacity as a Senator, which proposed a tripling of American aid to Pakistan. We all know that it is not just spending aid money,...

I am very grateful to the Foreign Secretary for giving way again. It is undoubtedly the case that some innocent people would die if there were an oil and electricity embargo, but that argument would have much more force if there were not already tens of thousands of people dying,...

I am very grateful to the Foreign Secretary for giving way again. It is undoubtedly the case that some innocent people would die if there were an oil and electricity embargo, but that argument would have much more force if there were not already tens of thousands of people dying,...

I take seriously the experience with which the right hon. and learned Gentleman speaks. What I say to him is that we could not get a majority for sanctions on individual members of the regime—[Interruption.] I assure hon. Members that it remains pretty difficult to do so. We could not...

I take seriously the experience with which the right hon. and learned Gentleman speaks. What I say to him is that we could not get a majority for sanctions on individual members of the regime—[Interruption.] I assure hon. Members that it remains pretty difficult to do so. We could not...

I pay tribute in return to my hon. Friend, who has done extraordinary work on this issue over a long period. I hope it was not felt that in my answer to the right hon. and learned Gentleman there was any sense of disregarding or denunciating the suggestion, because it...

I pay tribute in return to my hon. Friend, who has done extraordinary work on this issue over a long period. I hope it was not felt that in my answer to the right hon. and learned Gentleman there was any sense of disregarding or denunciating the suggestion, because it...

I am sorry, but I have given way more than enough. The US welcomes those stronger efforts because it agrees that such efforts strengthen our collective security, as Europe is doing in Georgia and the Balkans, and off the horn of Africa. We need to see this regional drive replicated...

I am sorry, but I have given way more than enough. The US welcomes those stronger efforts because it agrees that such efforts strengthen our collective security, as Europe is doing in Georgia and the Balkans, and off the horn of Africa. We need to see this regional drive replicated...

Following on from what the Foreign Secretary has just said, does he accept that the situation in Zimbabwe has not arisen overnight, but that it has been developing over a long period? One of the reasons why there is such cynicism about the international community's reaction to Zimbabwe is that...

Following on from what the Foreign Secretary has just said, does he accept that the situation in Zimbabwe has not arisen overnight, but that it has been developing over a long period? One of the reasons why there is such cynicism about the international community's reaction to Zimbabwe is that...

The commitment to action not just words was best exemplified when we went to the UN Security Council last July. It was tough enough to get a meeting. It may seem incredible in this House that it is hard to get a UNSC meeting to discuss Zimbabwe, but there was...

The commitment to action not just words was best exemplified when we went to the UN Security Council last July. It was tough enough to get a meeting. It may seem incredible in this House that it is hard to get a UNSC meeting to discuss Zimbabwe, but there was...

Does the Foreign Secretary agree that the only external non-violent action that would force non-violent change in Zimbabwe would be if the South African and Mozambique Governments agreed on an oil embargo and the prevention of electricity imports to Zimbabwe? Does he also agree that if South Africa refuses to...

Does the Foreign Secretary agree that the only external non-violent action that would force non-violent change in Zimbabwe would be if the South African and Mozambique Governments agreed on an oil embargo and the prevention of electricity imports to Zimbabwe? Does he also agree that if South Africa refuses to...

The right hon. and learned Gentleman raises important and difficult issues that deserve a serious response. We have thought a lot about the fuel issue, but the sad truth is that the last people who would be affected by a fuel blockade would be Robert Mugabe and his cronies. Therefore,...

The right hon. and learned Gentleman raises important and difficult issues that deserve a serious response. We have thought a lot about the fuel issue, but the sad truth is that the last people who would be affected by a fuel blockade would be Robert Mugabe and his cronies. Therefore,...

The circumstances are obvious. A battlegroup will be deployed when that is the most appropriate response to the problem that exists. It should be remembered that we backed the UN resolution calling for an extra 3,000 troops, with, I believe, support from Members in all parts of the House. We...

The circumstances are obvious. A battlegroup will be deployed when that is the most appropriate response to the problem that exists. It should be remembered that we backed the UN resolution calling for an extra 3,000 troops, with, I believe, support from Members in all parts of the House. We...

I thank the Foreign Secretary for giving way to me a second time. Can he make it clear, first, that any troops sent from anywhere to the Congo will be under the direct command and control of MONUC and within its orbit, and secondly that their deployment will be accompanied...

I thank the Foreign Secretary for giving way to me a second time. Can he make it clear, first, that any troops sent from anywhere to the Congo will be under the direct command and control of MONUC and within its orbit, and secondly that their deployment will be accompanied...

The troops would not be under UN authority if they consisted of an EU battlegroup. That does not mean that there are no circumstances in which the EU could deploy—after all, Operation Artemis deployed in 2003, although in rather different circumstances—but if an EU battlegroup goes to the Congo, it...

The troops would not be under UN authority if they consisted of an EU battlegroup. That does not mean that there are no circumstances in which the EU could deploy—after all, Operation Artemis deployed in 2003, although in rather different circumstances—but if an EU battlegroup goes to the Congo, it...

The hon. Gentleman will have a chance to make a speech later, but I will give way to him.

The hon. Gentleman will have a chance to make a speech later, but I will give way to him.

I am grateful to the Foreign Secretary. He has told us that on Monday Ministers instructed Javier Solana to respond to the UN Secretary-General's request for more troops from the European Union. Will he say a little more about those instructions? Did the Ministers ask Javier Solana to respond positively—to...

I am grateful to the Foreign Secretary. He has told us that on Monday Ministers instructed Javier Solana to respond to the UN Secretary-General's request for more troops from the European Union. Will he say a little more about those instructions? Did the Ministers ask Javier Solana to respond positively—to...

He is going to respond to the UN Secretary-General's request for a bridging EU force, and examine its feasibility and desirability. Yesterday the hon. Gentleman referred to a large number of countries which, at the European General Affairs and External Relations Council, had said that something must be done in...

He is going to respond to the UN Secretary-General's request for a bridging EU force, and examine its feasibility and desirability. Yesterday the hon. Gentleman referred to a large number of countries which, at the European General Affairs and External Relations Council, had said that something must be done in...

The Foreign Secretary has restated the position that the inquiry should take place when our troops have withdrawn. Is he seriously saying it must take place after the last man is out? I thought that the intention was to leave a few hundred there on a long-term basis even after...

The Foreign Secretary has restated the position that the inquiry should take place when our troops have withdrawn. Is he seriously saying it must take place after the last man is out? I thought that the intention was to leave a few hundred there on a long-term basis even after...

No, we are not. We are not going to hide behind the idea that the last troop must have come home. We have always made it clear that our commitment is in respect of combat troops, and we intend to honour that commitment. I am sure that all Members will...

No, we are not. We are not going to hide behind the idea that the last troop must have come home. We have always made it clear that our commitment is in respect of combat troops, and we intend to honour that commitment. I am sure that all Members will...

The Foreign Secretary visited the DRC at the beginning of November with his French counterpart. He is aware that the United Kingdom currently provides one of the European Union battlegroups, which is deployable at 15 days' notice. In the intervening period, MONUC has received no assistance. Can the Foreign Secretary...

The Foreign Secretary visited the DRC at the beginning of November with his French counterpart. He is aware that the United Kingdom currently provides one of the European Union battlegroups, which is deployable at 15 days' notice. In the intervening period, MONUC has received no assistance. Can the Foreign Secretary...

Certainly, we should hope for that, and the Governments that my right hon. and learned Friend mentions should take the lead. Perhaps the new US Administration will follow up on what happened under previous US Administrations, and perhaps there will be further massive reductions in those still colossal arsenals. Of...

Certainly, we should hope for that, and the Governments that my right hon. and learned Friend mentions should take the lead. Perhaps the new US Administration will follow up on what happened under previous US Administrations, and perhaps there will be further massive reductions in those still colossal arsenals. Of...