Category: Press Releases

Below is a press release issued by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on 13/11/2019.

The UK government condemns the firing of rockets at civilians and calls on all sides to de-escalate the situation.

A Foreign Office spokesperson said:

“We are deeply concerned by the escalation of hostilities in Gaza. The UK condemns the firing of rockets at civilian populations. Any attacks targeted against civilians are unlawful and unjustifiable. We call on all sides to rapidly de-escalate the situation, and support the UN and Egyptian efforts to achieve that objective.”

Below is a press release issued by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on 13/11/2019.

A statement from the Foreign & Commonwealth Office following Jeanine Áñez becoming interim President of Bolivia.

A Foreign & Commonwealth Office spokesperson said:

“The United Kingdom congratulates Jeanine Áñez on taking on her new responsibilities as interim President of Bolivia. We welcome Ms Áñez’s appointment and her declared intention to hold elections soon.

Free and fair elections will rebuild confidence in democracy for the Bolivian people. We look to all political parties to support efforts to restore calm following recent violence and to organise fresh presidential elections in accordance with the Constitution.”

Below is a press release issued by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on 15/11/2019.

Foreign affairs ministers issued a communiqué about the Global Coalition’s achievements and also their continued resolve in the joint effort against Daesh/ISIS.

Joint Communiqué from the foreign affairs ministers of the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS:

Over 5 years of military and civilian engagement, the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS, with its partners, have liberated Iraq and northeast Syria from Daesh/ISIS’s grip. At its peak, Daesh/ISIS controlled nearly 110,000 square kilometres of territory, including major cities in both Iraq and Syria and attracted more than 40,000 foreign terrorist fighters. The Coalition campaign has liberated approximately 7.7 million people from Daesh/ISIS’s control. Coalition members have helped raise over $20 billion in humanitarian and stabilisation assistance in support of the Iraqi and Syrian people, and trained and equipped more than 220,000 security and police personnel to stabilise local communities. In the most recent Coalition success, US forces raided the compound of Daesh/ISIS’s leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, resulting in his death.

These successes have come at tremendous sacrifice: tens of thousands of local partners in Syria and Iraq have died while fighting Daesh/ISIS, and more than 100 Coalition service members have given their lives as part of the Defeat Daesh/ISIS mission. In the past days, some Italian soldiers of the Coalition have been seriously wounded by an IED attack in Iraq.

Today, these achievements and Daesh/ISIS’s enduring defeat are threatened. The Coalition thus must maintain unity of purpose and cohesiveness in Syria and Iraq.

We, Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS Small Group, affirm our common willingness and continued resolve to address a new phase in this fight by pursuing our joint effort against Daesh/ISIS in Iraq and Syria.

We, Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS Small Group, urge all actors operating in northeast Syria to continue to be vigilant against threats of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, to maintain the progress achieved by the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS, to act together against any threats to this outcome and avoid security vacuums in the region that Daesh/ISIS may exploit. Continued detention of Daesh/ISIS-related individuals, including Foreign Terrorist Fighters, in northeast Syria remains to be of paramount importance. International law, including international humanitarian law and the protection of civilians and international human rights law must be upheld under any circumstances.

Despite the challenging situation, we reaffirm our full commitment to ensure the enduring defeat of Daesh/ISIS. We reiterate the importance of maintaining and allocating adequate military and civilian means and resources to sustain Coalition momentum and success against Daesh/ISIS in Iraq and Syria and to best safeguard our collective security interests, in pursuit of the ongoing military campaign. This will enable us to counter any attempt by Daesh/ISIS to reconstitute or enhance its capacity to plan and execute attacks against our countries as well as our partners and allies. This also includes continuing to train, advise, and support legitimate partner forces in the region engaged in the fight against Daesh/ISIS’s remaining cells and networks in both Syria and Iraq while respecting international law.

We reiterate the importance of ensuring accountability for all Daesh/ISIS terrorists and we commit to promoting their safe and humane detention and eventual prosecution. We will continue our efforts to hold accountable Daesh/ISIS terrorists, including to prevent those detained, hiding underground, or sheltering beyond Coalition control, from returning to the battlefield in Iraq and Syria, or relocating elsewhere and plotting attacks against other countries. Information sharing via bilateral and/or multilateral law enforcement channels like INTERPOL, will continue as a key component in this endeavor. We remain committed to promoting efforts to ensure that accused terrorists, including those of foreign nationality, are treated appropriately and tried consistent with international law and fair trial, and we urge the custodians of the detained Daesh/ISIS fighters to treat them humanely at all times, and in accordance with international law.

There remain a considerable number of foreign terrorist fighters and their families who are kept in custody in Syria and Iraq. We are committed to establishing or supporting existing effective accountability mechanisms in close coordination with the countries of origin for foreign terrorist fighters.

We highlight the importance of stabilisation support for liberated areas from Daesh/ISIS in Iraq and those in Syria that remain out of the Syrian regime’s control and where the rights of the local population are not being ignored or violated. We call on all members to insist on a robust supply of humanitarian assistance to all people in need. We urge all actors operating in northeast Syria to refrain from any action that could lead to change in the demographic structures in northeast Syria, and to commit to ensure that refugees and internally displaced persons created since the outset of the conflict in Syria should only return in a safe, voluntary and dignified manner in accordance with the standards adhered to by UNHCR; that they are guaranteed freedom of movement; and that full, unimpeded and safe humanitarian access to all areas in the region is verifiably granted.

We commend the continuing commitment of the Government of Iraq in its fight against Daesh/ISIS and reaffirm our dedication to assisting at their request their ongoing efforts to secure an enduring defeat of the terrorist organisation. While the Government of Iraq and the Coalition have liberated all territory once held by Daesh/ISIS, Daesh/ISIS remaining elements continue to exploit seams between security forces and vulnerable populations. In addition to the Coalition’s support for Iraqi Security Forces, as well as the Peshmerga, we will continue supporting the Government of Iraq and the UN’s stabilisation and humanitarian efforts, including for the more than 1.5 million displaced persons.

Despite ISIS’s territorial setbacks in Iraq and Syria, none of its branches has renounced its allegiance to ISIS. These branches have served as trans-regional enablers, providing support to organise, plan, raise funds, communicate, recruit, train, produce media, and plan external operations. The global Coalition must also remain vigilant and work against the threat of ISIS branches and networks around the world, upon the request or prior consent of the country or state in which ISIS branch or network exists, and while fully respecting international law. By reaffirming our commitment to combatting ISIS’s ideology to prevent its re-emergence, recruitment and expansion, we will continue to support local voices that offer an alternative vision to ISIS’s propaganda, and will further redouble our efforts to deny ISIS space to exploit social media and the Internet. We will encourage other members of the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS to adopt the same guidelines.

We welcome the offer by Italy to host in 2020 the next meeting of the Ministers of the full Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS.

Below is a press release issued by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on 15/11/2019.

The UK welcomes the ceasefire reached between Israel and Palestinian Islamic Jihad.

A Foreign Office spokesperson said:

“We welcome the ceasefire reached between Israel and Palestinian Islamic Jihad. We are grateful to Egypt and the UN for their mediation efforts. The indiscriminate attacks against civilians by Palestinian Islamic Jihad were completely unacceptable. We greatly regret the loss of civilian life in Gaza and urge all parties to adhere to the ceasefire arrangement.”

Below is a press release issued by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on 15/11/2019.

Foreign ministers of Egypt, France, Germany, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, UK, and the United States issued a statement supporting the United Nations’ work in Syria.

The Foreign Ministers of the Small Group on Syria joint statement:

“The Foreign Ministers of Egypt, France, Germany, Jordan, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America strongly support the work of the UN Secretary-General and UN Special Envoy Geir Pedersen to implement UN Security Council Resolution 2254.

In recent weeks, the UN has opened a door to progress in the political process with the launching of the Constitutional Committee, which could be a first step towards a political solution. After more than 8 years of violence, there is no military solution that can bring stability to Syria, allow displaced Syrians to return safely and voluntarily to their homes, and defeat terrorism.

We remain committed to upholding the sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of Syria and oppose forced demographic change. We particularly call upon all actors in the northeast to immediately implement a cease fire and to halt all military offensive operations. We commit to disburse no assistance for any resettlement of Syrian refugees into northeast Syria that is not the safe, dignified, and voluntary return of those refugees to their homes. We also call for an immediate and genuine cessation of hostilities in Idlib, including an immediate halt to attacks against civilians. In addition, we stress the need to deal effectively with the terrorist threat emanating from Idlib and northwest Syria.

We also ask the international community to commit to support the UN on implementation of all aspects of UN Security Council Resolution 2254, notably a nationwide ceasefire, the creation of a genuine and representative Syrian constitution, the mass release of political prisoners, as well as UN-supervised elections that are free, fair and credible. Internally displaced persons, refugees and the diaspora must be able to participate in these elections in a safe and neutral environment. We continue to support efforts to ensure that all perpetrators of abuses and violations of international humanitarian and human rights law throughout Syria are identified and held accountable.

We encourage the international community to provide humanitarian assistance to all of Syria with the support of the UN agencies and stress the importance of ensuring safe and unhindered humanitarian access for all Syrians currently in need of it. We also support the safe, dignified, and voluntary return of refugees to their homes. Finally, we express our commitment to the enduring defeat of ISIS and other UN designated terrorist groups and remind the international community that a political settlement in Syria remains essential to sustainably achieving this shared goal.”

Below is a press release issued by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on 18/11/2019.

The Foreign & Commonwealth Office issued a statement following violence during protests at university campuses in Hong Kong.

A Foreign & Commonwealth Office spokesperson said:

“The UK is seriously concerned by the escalation in violence from both the protesters and the authorities around Hong Kong university campuses. It is vital that those who are injured are able to receive appropriate medical treatment, and that safe passage is made available for all those who wish to leave the area.

We need to see an end to the violence, and for all sides to engage in meaningful political dialogue ahead of the District Council elections on Sunday.”

Below is a press release issued by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on 20/11/2019.

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab is attending the last meeting of foreign ministers before the UK hosts the 70th anniversary NATO Leaders’ Meeting in December.

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab will travel to Brussels today to attend the final meeting of NATO Foreign Ministers ahead of next month’s NATO Leaders’ Meeting in London.

Foreign Ministers will agree further measures to strengthen deterrence and defence, including against hybrid threats, and enhance NATO’s role in the ongoing fight against international terrorism.

At the meeting Ministers are also expected to recognise space as an operational domain – alongside air, land, sea and cyber – and discuss Allies’ progress towards to achieving fairer burden sharing.

Ahead of the meeting, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said:

“The UK is a founding member of NATO and has played a key role in the Alliance for 70 years. Today is a chance to work with our closest allies on shared defence and security challenges, including hybrid threats and international terrorism.

We look forward to the UK hosting NATO leaders in December, and celebrating NATO’s 70th anniversary and discuss how to further strengthen the Alliance.

The UK is the largest defence investor in Europe and continues to meet NATO’s target of investing 2% of GDP on defence, with 20% of that on equipment.

On 3 and 4 December 2019, the UK will welcome Allied leaders to London – the home of NATO’s first headquarters – to mark 70 years of the Alliance. The meeting will provide an opportunity to take stock of NATO’s adaptation to 21st century challenges.”

The Foreign Secretary will also use today’s visit to separately meet with his E3 French and German counterparts to discuss shared foreign policy challenges, including Iran’s latest actions that contravene the JCP0A nuclear deal, and the escalation of protests in Hong Kong.

Below is a press release issued by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on 20/11/2019.

The FCO gave a statement following a Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe and Council of Europe report into the conduct of the Belarus elections.

A Foreign & Commonwealth Office spokesperson said:

“The UK is disappointed that Belarus’ parliamentary elections did not meet international democratic standards, according to the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and Council of Europe.

We are also concerned by the reports from the OSCE that the election environment was overly restrictive, did not provide for any meaningful competition, and that fundamental democratic rights were curbed.

We urge the government of Belarus to work to address these issues to strengthen Belarus’ democracy and to allow voters and candidates full involvement in the democratic process.”

Below is a press release issued by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on 20/11/2019.

A Foreign Office spokesperson said:

“The United Kingdom welcomes Russia’s return of the 3 Ukrainian vessels. This is long overdue.

Russia’s seizure of the vessels was contrary to international law. Russia must not hinder passage through the Kerch Straits.

The United Kingdom remains fully committed to upholding the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognised borders, including illegally annexed Crimea.”

Below is a press release issued by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on 20/11/2019.

Statement by Ambassador Karen Pierce, UK Permanent Representative to the UN, at the Security Council briefing on the Middle East.

Mr Mladenov, thank you very much once again for your briefing and for the work of your team on the ground in, from what we have heard, obviously very difficult circumstances. I took careful note of your characterisation of the current situation, and given the number of crises and difficulties we’ve seen over Gaza in recent months, I know you don’t make that characterisation lightly. And I’ll come back to that in a minute.

But I wanted to start, as others have done, I wanted to stress the UK position on settlements hasn’t changed. They are illegal under international law. They present an obstacle to peace. They threaten the physical ability of a two-state solution. The British position was reflected in our support for UNSCR 2334, but also in previous resolutions, which confirmed the lack of legal validity, such as SCR 465 of 1980. We’ve also condemned the advancement of plans for over 2000 housing units across the West Bank on 10 October and call on such counterproductive action to end.

Turning specifically to Gaza, I wanted to thank Ms Hary for her briefing and her insights on access. We take this very seriously. The most important thing, I think, is the escalation of hostilities in Gaza that began on 12 November. We’re very concerned about that. We welcome the ceasefire reached between Israel and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and we’re grateful, as are others, to Egypt and the UN for their mediation efforts. And I want to stress the complete unacceptability of the indiscriminate attacks against civilians by Palestinian Islamic Jihad. We regret the loss of life and we urge all parties to adhere to the ceasefire arrangement. Longer term, we encourage actors to put forward sustainable proposals to resolve the threat posed to Israel’s security by Hamas, by Palestinian Islamic Jihad and other militants in Gaza. Hamas’ misrule is leading to dreadful consequences for the people of Gaza and also of Israel.

I wanted to pick up on Ms Hary’s briefing on movement and access restrictions and show how this has constrained exports and impacted on the Palestinian economy in forms of low growth and rising levels of unemployment. And we look to Israel to apply the same conditions on Palestinian traders as they do on Israeli ones.

I wanted to join what other speakers have said about our concern about demolitions, about incidents of violence in both directions. I wanted to take the opportunity also to join others in saying absolutely that Israel’s security is a top priority for us and to condemn the missiles that are fired at Israel. But as long as we have this destabilising situation, and the violence is very difficult to find a way through.

We remain concerned by increase in settler violence. We welcome work towards genuine and democratic national elections for all Palestinians – and I agree with those speakers who said that this was crucial in view of the establishment of a viable and sovereign Palestinian state. And to this end, we call on all Palestinian factions to seek common ground and to work together to pursue a positive path towards democracy for the full benefit of the Palestinian people.

I also just wanted to put down a marker about a call for greater media freedoms in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, including revising relevant legislation. We’re concerned by the 17 October decision by the Ramallah Magistrate Court ordering the blocking of 50 Palestinian Arabic websites. We think that’s an important part of what is happening on the ground.

But finally, to join others in noting the importance of the two-State solution, but also the importance of Palestine and Israel living in peace, living in mutual respect side by side as equal and sovereign states. And of course, security is an absolutely crucial component of that.