Category: Press Releases

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 1 February 2024.

Deputy Ambassador Brown marks International Holocaust Remembrance Day and condemns Holocaust denial and distortion.

Thank you Ambassador Gras, for your introductory comments and Croatia’s work as President of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA).

Last week we marked International Holocaust Remembrance Day, remembering and honouring the 6 million Jewish people, Roma, disabled, gay men, political opponents and Jehovah’s Witnesses who were murdered. All murdered for who they were and what they believed.

The Holocaust was one of the darkest moments in human history. Tragically, recent events have underlined its continued relevance today. Israel was founded in the shadow of the Holocaust as a place of sanctuary for the Jewish people. And as we have seen the ugly face of antisemitism resurface, with an unprecedented surge in hate crime globally since the barbaric attacks on the 7th of October. Shamefully, this was also the case in the United Kingdom.

The UK will succeed Croatia as President of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance later this year, convening meetings in Glasgow in June and in London in December. During our Presidency we will mark the 85th anniversary of the first Kindertransport, the rescue of almost ten thousand Jewish children. Children who became Nobel prize winners, members of our legislatures and – in the UK – include the midwife who first held the future King Charles the Third.

We will soon reach a point where the march of time means that the Holocaust will no longer be part of our living history. With that comes a growing concern about the rise of Holocaust denial and distortion – recasting history to erase the devastating horrors faced by the Jewish people and others.

Our Presidency therefore aims to help children understand that the Holocaust did not happen in secret, hidden away in the dark corner, beyond most citizens’ gaze. We want to shine a spotlight on the circumstances that led up to the Holocaust and the nature of society that allowed it to happen in plain sight.

Alongside this, we will prioritise tackling the continued rise of Holocaust distortion. We have a duty to protect the facts, fighting back against attempts to minimise or erase the devastation endured by the Jewish people. As IHRA Presidency and working with the OSCE, the UK will therefore convene AI, social media and other experts to discuss Holocaust distortion, including risks from deep fake technology and online disinformation.

Today is above all a day for remembering. We remember all those who were murdered.  And as we remember them, I reiterate the UK’s commitment to continuing that remembrance among future generations and to combating antisemitism domestically and across the OSCE region.

Thank you Chair.

The press release issued by the Home Office on 1 February 2024.

The UK and France will go even further and faster in tackling illegal migration and build even closer law enforcement and security cooperation ties in 2024.

During talks in Paris on Tuesday (30 January), Home Secretary James Cleverly and French Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin discussed the breadth of their shared priorities, the enduring strength of the UK-France relationship and the opportunities for further deepening of cooperation.

This year marks the 120th anniversary of the Entente Cordiale, which brought a new age of UK-French relations.

The Home Secretary welcomed the excellent work from French law enforcement to reduce the number of small boats reaching the UK by 36% in 2023 compared to the previous year. He also welcomed the action to target ‘taxi-boat’ launches, including by constructing barriers and increasing patrols, where UK-France cooperation directly impacted organised criminal activity.

To go further in our response, the Home Secretary and Interior Minister Darmanin welcomed plans to accelerate delivery of the March 2023 UK-France Summit agreement. These plans will expedite deployment of key aerial surveillance equipment, ensuring unprecedented levels of coverage to enable French law enforcement to intercept crossing attempts as quickly as possible. The Home Secretary underlined that cross-Channel cooperation to save lives at sea remains an important priority.

The Home Secretary also endorsed both countries’ commitment to new UK-France cooperation focused on disruption of small boats materials’ supply through enhanced intelligence sharing.

As part of further pan-European efforts to tackle illegal migration, the ministers discussed convening a meeting of the Calais Group Interior Ministers in the spring to lead discussions with key near neighbour partners on further efforts to tackle illegal migration.

The Home Secretary committed to the UK continuing to share security experience and expertise to support France’s preparations for the Olympics.

Home Secretary James Cleverly said:

The UK and France are friends, neighbours and partners. Our cooperation against the full range of security threats and challenges is vital for both our countries and for Europe.

France is an essential partner to prevent illegal migration. The UK continues to support the challenges faced by French law enforcement, operating under increasingly difficult circumstances to save lives and disrupt organised criminal gangs. Their commitment is exemplary, and the results are impressive.

I want to thank my friend Gérald Darmanin for his continued leadership and support in tackling the small boat crisis and pledge to see our countries continue to work closely together, not least as France takes on the challenge of hosting the Olympics this summer.

Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin said:

In the follow-up of 2023, France and the UK will deepen their cooperation, which is essential in the very intense fight against violent and reckless smugglers’ networks.

They will also continue calling for a UK-EU agreement on migration issues so as to better manage illegal as well as legal migration.

Besides, their joint action will also cover the security of major upcoming events this year, with a particular focus on the Summer Olympics.

The dialogue between our 2 countries should also help improve the fight against radicalisation as well as crimes committed online.

Both countries continue to deliver against the landmark deal agreed between the Prime Minister and President Macron during the March 2023 Leaders’ Summit. Already, over half of the 500 UK-funded French personnel have been deployed to tackle small boats.

The recent fatal incidents in the Channel are a tragic reminder of the human cost of these dangerous crossings. It is imperative to dismantle the organised criminal gangs responsible, whose action is increasingly violent and inhuman.

Since May 2023, the UK and France have worked even more closely together in northern France, with UK liaison officers permanently based in Lille and in Calais, enhancing information exchange at working level between our countries in order to prevent crossings and investigate organised criminal groups.

The UK and France continue to have a strong and highly valued relationship on security and counter terrorism issues. This includes cooperation to tackle terrorism at home and overseas, including action against Hamas and other terrorist groups.

The UK continues to offer France with support for the upcoming Olympic Games, having shared experiences from London 2012 and other major events including Her Majesty The Late Queen’s funeral and His Majesty The King’s Coronation.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 1 February 2024.

Deputy Ambassador Brown thanks Minister Hasler for outlining Liechtenstein’s priorities at the Council of Europe, and for the close collaboration with the OSCE.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 1 February 2024.

Deputy Ambassador Deirdre Brown condemns reports of the declining humanitarian situation in the Ukrainian territories temporarily under Russian control and Russia’s attempts to erase Ukrainian identity.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Firstly, I would like to thank you and your team for convening last week’s Special Permanent Council.  We heard 22 statements condemning Russia’s heinous attacks and underscoring our unwavering support for Ukraine. We must, and will, continue to hold Russia to account for failing to uphold the OSCE’s founding principles and abide by international humanitarian and human rights law.

The humanitarian situation in the regions of Ukraine temporarily under Russian control is deeply concerning. Millions of people live in these areas where access for humanitarian organisations has been mostly impossible. Reports suggest civilians are struggling to access water, food, shelter and other essential services. Russia has repeatedly ignored calls to allow humanitarians safe access to these areas. Russia claims to have “liberated” these territories. Instead, it has brought hardship and suffering. There are reports that Russia has carried out enforced disappearances, summary executions of civilians, and unlawful detention and torture, especially targeting civil servants, pro-Ukraine activists and journalists, and other civilians presumed to oppose the occupation.

We condemn Russia’s decision to hold Russian presidential elections in Ukraine this year, further violating Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity. Russia will not succeed in legitimising its attempted illegal annexation in this way. As the UN General Assembly made overwhelmingly clear in October 2022, these regions are and always will be Ukrainian.

Russia’s despicable and systematic attempt to erase Ukrainian identity, and with it, Ukraine’s future, is unfortunately not limited to changes on a map. Ukrainian children have been targeted by Russia’s appalling forced deportation strategy.

We are seriously concerned by reports that over 19,000 Ukrainian children have been forcibly deported to Russia or temporarily controlled Russian territory since Russia launched its full-scale invasion; that fewer than 400 have so far been returned to Ukraine; and that a senior Russian politician has even illegally adopted a Ukrainian child.

Under a new Russian citizenship law passed in January, Russian authorities claim they can confer Russian citizenship upon vulnerable Ukrainian children deported to Russia. We call upon Russia to cease these deportations immediately. We condemn these actions, and are determined to hold to account those responsible for forcibly deporting and attempting to indoctrinate Ukrainian children.

The UK is pleased to be joining the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children tomorrow. We welcome its establishment and fully endorse the joint Declaration. This is an important step towards a global coordinated effort to return Ukrainian children to their homeland, and an initiative the UK fully supports.

In closing, Madam Chair, we have raised the case of Vladimir Kara-Murza, a dual British-Russian national imprisoned in Russia, on several occasions in this Forum. While we welcome the news that he has been located following a prison transfer, he should not be in prison at all. He is in prison for engaging in legitimate criticism of the political situation: for speaking out against the war in Ukraine and against Putin’s regime. We reiterate our call for his immediate and unconditional release. And, as we raised last week, we remain concerned at Russia’s continued detention of our three OSCE colleagues of the Special Monitoring Mission. The UK again calls for their immediate release, along with all Ukrainians currently victims of arbitrary detention.

The United Kingdom will stand with Ukraine today, tomorrow and for as long as it takes. Thank you, Madam Chair.