Oral Answers to Questions

John Bercow Excerpts

Tuesday 14th June 2011 Commons Chamber

[Mr Hague]

My hon. Friend will have heard in my answers that we have placed our emphasis strongly on that. There is a need for a return to negotiations by both sides, and now that President Obama has made his speech about 1967 borders, I hope that Palestinians will take that approach. We have already talked about the Israeli approach.

[Mr Speaker]

John Cryer: not here.

[Eric Joyce (Falkirk) (Lab)]

3. What recent assessment he has made of the threat to UK shipping from piracy off the horn of Africa.

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[Mr Denis MacShane (Rotherham) (Lab)]

May I welcome, as I am sure the Foreign Secretary does, the arrest of Ratko Mladic and his dispatch to The Hague? Eight thousand Europeans were taken out and shot one by one in the biggest single mass murder since Katyn. It was not, if I may say so, Britain’s finest hour in foreign policy.

As we move forward in the Balkans, will the Foreign Secretary join me in urging President Tadic and responsible Serb politicians to recognise Kosovo, and to stop the blocks to Kosovo trading in the region and to its joining international institutions? The reason that Kosovo has the economic problems to which the hon. Member for West Worcestershire (Harriett Baldwin) referred, is that Serbia will not allow it—

[Mr Speaker]

Order. I think we have the thrust of the question. We are most grateful to the right hon. Gentleman.

[Mr Hague]

I went to Belgrade last summer to discuss those issues with President Tadic, and urged him to enter into an EU-facilitated dialogue with Kosovo. That was the essential first step towards what the right hon. Gentleman is talking about. President Tadic agreed, and I now urge the Governments of Serbia and Kosovo to engage with each other constructively. With good will on both sides, a dialogue can help to move both states towards EU accession.

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[Mr Andrew Turner (Isle of Wight) (Con)]

Will the Government make it clear to the Israeli Government that an attack on any future humanitarian flotilla would be met by international condemnation?

[Mr Speaker]

May I gently remind the Minister that we are talking, narrowly, about co-existence projects and joint business initiatives?

[Alistair Burt]

I believe that I would be right in saying that we see events such as the reopening of the Rafah crossing in Gaza as an opportunity to help economic development and to encourage co-existence, because the greater the economic development on the west bank and in Gaza, the more opportunity there will be for both, and the less need there will be for anyone to be tempted to try to use a flotilla as a means either of bringing in produce or of making a political point.

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[Several hon. Members]

rose—

[Mr Speaker]

Order. We are very time-constrained. Brevity is of the essence.

[Mike Gapes (Ilford South) (Lab/Co-op)]

Is the Foreign Secretary aware of why his German counterpart went to Benghazi and said that the German Government were now recognising the transitional Government there? Does that represent a welcome shift in Germany’s position, given that the Germans abstained on Security Council resolution 1973 and opposed NATO action?

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[Several hon. Members]

rose—

[Mr Speaker]

Order. As usual, interest has exceeded the time available and we must now move on.