Category: Foreign Affairs

The statement made by Dominic Raab, the Foreign Secretary, on 16 March 2021. The following statement was released by United States Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas, Italian Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio and UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab on the occasion of the 10-year anniversary of the Syrian uprising.

Today marks ten years since the Syrian people peacefully took to the streets calling for reform. The Assad regime’s response has been one of appalling violence. President Assad and his backers bear responsibility for the years of war and human suffering that followed. We praise the brave individuals and organisations who over the last ten years have exposed the truth from Syria, documented and pursued abuses, mass atrocities and grave violations of international law to hold the perpetrators accountable and delivered vital assistance to communities. That work remains essential.

After years of conflict, widespread corruption, and economic mismanagement, the Syrian economy is broken. More than half of the population, nearly 13 million Syrians depend upon humanitarian assistance. The millions of Syrian refugees, hosted generously by Syria’s neighbours, Turkey, Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq and Egypt as well as those internally displaced cannot yet return home without fear of violence, arbitrary arrest, and torture. Continued conflict has also led to space for terrorists, particularly Daesh, to exploit. Preventing Daesh’s resurgence remains a priority.

It is imperative the regime and its supporters engage seriously in the political process and allow humanitarian assistance to reach communities in need. The proposed Syrian Presidential election this year will neither be free nor fair, nor should it lead to any measure of international normalization with the Syrian regime. Any political process needs the participation of all Syrians, including the diaspora and the displaced, to enable all voices to be heard.

We, the Foreign Ministers of France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom and the United States, will not abandon the Syrian people. Our nations commit to reinvigorating the pursuit of a peaceful solution which protects the rights and future prosperity of all Syrians, based on UN Security Council Resolution 2254. Impunity is unacceptable and we will firmly continue to press for accountability for the most serious crimes. We will continue to support the important role of the Commission of Inquiry and the International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism. We welcome the ongoing efforts by national courts to investigate and prosecute crimes within their jurisdiction committed in Syria. We will not tolerate Syria’s non-compliance with the Chemical Weapons Convention and fully support the work of the OPCW in this regard. We will continue to strongly call for a nationwide ceasefire, unhindered aid access through all possible routes to those in need, including through the renewal of UN Security Council Resolution 2533 and the cross-border mechanism by the UN Security Council, as well as the release of those arbitrarily detained, and free and fair elections under UN auspices with all Syrians participating, including members of the diaspora.

To that end we reiterate our firm support for UN Special Envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen’s efforts to deliver all aspects of UN Security Council Resolution 2254 as the only way to resolve this conflict. Clear progress towards an inclusive political process and an end to the repression of the Syrian people is essential. We cannot allow this tragedy to last another decade.

 

The statement made by Dominic Raab, the Foreign Secretary, on 15 March 2021.

My congratulations to Mathias Cormann on his selection as the next OECD Secretary General. As the UK holds the Presidency of the G7 and hosts COP26 later this year, our close partnership with the OECD will be vital to building back better from this pandemic.

I look forward to working closely together to support the global economy to recover from COVID, and step up the fight to tackle climate change.

The statement made by Dominic Raab, the Foreign Secretary, on 13 March 2021.

Beijing’s decision to impose radical changes to restrict participation in Hong Kong’s electoral system constitutes a further clear breach of the legally binding Sino-British Joint Declaration.

This is part of a pattern designed to harass and stifle all voices critical of China’s policies and is the third breach of the Joint Declaration in less than nine months.

The Chinese authorities’ continued action means I must now report that the UK considers Beijing to be in a state of ongoing non-compliance with the Joint Declaration – a demonstration of the growing gulf between Beijing’s promises and its actions.

The UK will continue to stand up for the people of Hong Kong. China must act in accordance with its legal obligations and respect fundamental rights and freedoms in Hong Kong.

The statement made by Dominic Raab, the Foreign Secretary, on 11 March 2021.

Ine thank you so much, it’s cold and snowy outside, certainly even for us Brits, but a very warm welcome. Thank you so much for your hospitality and I think above all for Norway’s friendship. We really value it and I believe we can do even more in the months and years ahead.

As Ine said, I had a meeting with Minister Ulstein, we’re looking forward to the roundtable with Nordic Foreign Ministers later on this afternoon. Again, the different areas of collaboration I think are really exciting for us. We’ve obviously got a long-standing partnership across many areas, from the ‘force for good’ work we do within aid and development through to security collaboration.

We are fellow NATO members. UK armed forces have trained in Norway with your brilliant troops for over 50 years. I think one of the most professional partnerships we have – certainly very prized on our side.

We stand shoulder to shoulder with you in defending the North Atlantic and countering threats in the region. And now I think it’s fantastic having you on the security council – so many areas of common interest – but more importantly common values.

Norway, the incredible contribution you are already making, whether it’s on climate change or the recent initiative we worked together on to allow COVID-19 vaccinations to take place in conflict zones, so having a ceasefire moment in conflict zones for that vaccination.

Your lead on humanitarian issues in Syria is also I think laudable and something that we respect to learn from and also want to support. We are also building a new economic partnership. I think the negotiations on the new Free Trade Agreement with EEA EFTA members are going well.

Of course, there are always issues we will haggle on but for us the political imperative of a win-win deal is extremely important. And of course it builds on the agreement we signed last year to make sure we’ve got full rights for UK citizens living in Norway, and also Norwegians living in the UK. Just to say that we think the contributions Norwegians make in the UK is brilliant, they are always welcome and always valued.

So, as I said, our partnership is one of shared values, as champions of democracy, human rights and the international rule of law. We want to get the vaccine delivered obviously at home but also to the poorest and most vulnerable countries around the world.

We are pursuing sustainable development, we want to bounce back economically from this terrible pandemic in a more sustainable and greener way. All areas where we’re working together and, of course, with the UK hosting the COP26, in wanting to switch the dial on climate change, we couldn’t have a better partner than our Norwegian friends in making sure that we are ambitious, that we are getting other countries locked into a deal which can really serve as a step forward.

We are delighted to sign the memorandum of understanding on increased cooperation in the Polar Regions. Because after all we’re not just North Sea neighbours, we are also neighbours in the Antarctic. And, of course, the Polar Regions are the fastest warming places on the planet and that has implications for all of us because of the impact on sea levels.

So I’m delighted today that we’ve committed to work on scientific research and also for advocating increased protections for the Arctic and the Southern Oceans which again Norway leads on and I know that your Prime Minister is really committed to as well.

Above all, there’s a huge amount of interest for our citizens in all this collaboration, whether it’s on trade or security cooperation and I think the scope for Norway and the UK being an even stronger force for good in the world in the weeks, months and years ahead is enormous and I’m very optimistic that that relationship will go from strength to strength.

The statement made by Dominic Raab, the Foreign Secretary, in conjunction with the Governments of France, Germany, Italy and the United States, on 11 March 2021.

France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom and the United States of America welcome the vote of confidence by the overwhelming majority of the members of the House of Representatives meeting in Sirte 8-10 March to endorse the cabinet chosen by Prime Minister-designate Abdulhamid Dabaiba for an interim Government of National Unity.

We applaud the Libyan people for their determination to restore unity to their country. We commend all Libyan actors for constructively participating in and facilitating this vote by a body representing the voices of the Libyan people.

This outcome is a fundamental step on the path towards the unification of Libyan institutions and a comprehensive political solution to a crisis that has tested Libya and its people. Through the Berlin Process, we will continue to support the Libyan people and the UN efforts jointly with our partners.

We appreciate the statement issued by Prime Minister Sarraj welcoming the vote of the House of Representatives and expressing readiness to hand over power, and now call upon all current Libyan authorities and actors to show the same responsibility and ensure a smooth and constructive handover of all competences and duties to the interim Government of National Unity. The new interim executive authority will have the primary tasks of organizing free and fair Presidential and Parliamentary elections on 24 December 2021, followed by a transfer of authority to Libya’s democratically chosen leaders; fully implementing the 23 October 2020 ceasefire agreement; commencing a process of national reconciliation; and addressing the basic needs of the Libyan population.

France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom and the United States of America welcome the withdrawal of foreign forces and mercenaries from the area around Ghardabya airport, in order to allow members of the House of Representatives to safely participate in the parliamentary session in Sirte, and praise the work of the Joint Military Commission 5+5 to make this possible. It is important that such a development represent an irreversible step towards the full implementation of the 23 October 2020 ceasefire agreement, including the withdrawal of all foreign fighters and mercenaries from all of Libya.

We express gratitude to the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) and the Special Envoy of the UN Secretary General for Libya, Jan Kubiš, for their tireless efforts to stabilize Libya and ensure stability and prosperity to its people.

The joint statement issued by numerous Governments, including the United Kingdom, on 11 March 2021.

We, the governments of France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America, condemn the sustained Houthi offensive on the Yemeni city of Ma’rib and the major escalation of attacks the Houthis have conducted and claimed against Saudi Arabia. Their determined attack on Ma’rib is worsening an already dire humanitarian crisis.

Our renewed diplomatic efforts to end the Yemen conflict, in support of the UN Special Envoy, with the support of Saudi Arabia, Oman, and the international community, offer the best hope for ending this war. We urge the Houthis to seize this opportunity for peace and end the ongoing escalation.

We reiterate our firm commitment to the security and integrity of Saudi territory, and to restoring stability and calm along the Saudi/Yemeni border. We reaffirm our strong support for a swift resolution of the Yemeni conflict, which will bring much-needed stability to the region and immediate benefit to the people of Yemen.

The statement made by Dominic Raab, the Foreign Secretary, on 5 March 2021.

The decision of the regime in Venezuela to expel the Head of the EU Delegation is unwarranted and deeply regrettable. The UK stands shoulder to shoulder with our EU partners.

The comments made by Dominic Raab, the Foreign Secretary, on 7 March 2021.

We welcome the removal of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe’s ankle tag, but Iran continues to put her and her family through a cruel and an intolerable ordeal.

She must be released permanently so she can return to her family in the UK. We will continue to do all we can to achieve this.

We have relayed to the Iranian authorities in the strongest possible terms that her continued confinement is unacceptable.