Cook: greater concern for human rights

Robin Cook interviewed on the Today Programme

Cook Sets Out Foreign Policy Vision

In a speech entitled "Human Rights into a New Century" he emphasised the Labour Government's determination - as Mr Cook said shortly after his appointment - to give British foreign policy an ethical dimension.

He told an invited audience of over a hundred academics and journalists that concern for human rights is unavoidable and desirable and that no nation should turn away from the suffering of others.

He set out twelve steps which the Government will take in the hope of making human rights more of a global reality.

They include increased dialogue and applying pressure privately to specific new measures, one of which will be an increase in British support for the international criminal tribunal for the former Yugoslavia. An annual report will also be published on human rights activities by the Government.

Today Programme reporter Tom Feilden explores the problems of basing foreign policy on respect for hum an rights

The Foreign Secretary also outlined plans to stop arms sales to repressive regimes. It is expected that the Government will place much tighter restrictions on the sale of equipment for internal security purposes.

Mr Cook was asked whether the sale of Hawk Jets to Indonesia was among the items being considered for review. "If we have evidence that any particular weapons system -- of which that is one -- is being used for internal repression, we will not give an export licence for it."

Mr Cook also named countries whose human rights records are poor. Referring to Nigeria, Mr Cook described the regime as "beyond rational argument", and said it would be kept out of the Commonwealth for the time being.

Fears have been expressed that having an ethical foreign policy would mean that jobs would be lost, especially in manufacturing. Mr Cook said be thought having a policy based on human rights would increase rather than decrease trade. "A business with no ethical dimension is a business that is going to go out of business fast." he said.

The full text of Mr Cook's speech
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