Tag: Foreign Office

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 14 September 2024.

Joint statement by the governments of the United Kingdom and United States on the occasion of the UK-US Strategic Dialogue in London.

United Kingdom Foreign Secretary David Lammy and United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken met in London to open the UK-US Strategic Dialogue.

The Strategic Dialogue – led by the Secretaries of State of the United Kingdom and United States – celebrates and deepens the long-standing and special relationship between the United Kingdom and United States.

The dialogue, held 10 to 11 September 2024, covered the key elements of the UK-US partnership, including unwavering support for Ukraine, the promotion of peace and security in the Middle East including through a ceasefire in Gaza, cooperation towards a free and open Indo-Pacific, and alignment on secure, resilient and sustainable growth.

At the dialogue, the United Kingdom and United States emphasised the interconnectedness of the security and economies of the Euro-Atlantic and the Indo-Pacific.

Foreign Secretary Lammy and Secretary Blinken reaffirmed the enduring support of the United Kingdom and United States for Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity.

They discussed next steps to mobilise military and financial resources for Ukraine, restrict Russian revenues, put pressure on the Kremlin’s war machine, and restore Ukraine’s energy networks. They condemned strongly Russia’s recent air strikes that devastated Ukrainian civilians.

They decided to work together to support the European and Euro-Atlantic integration of Ukraine, Moldova, and the Western Balkans, highlighting Ukraine’s irreversible path to NATO membership. The dialogue expressed particular concern about China’s support to Russia’s defence industrial base.

Both leaders noted the importance of addressing security and stability in Europe; addressing threats from foreign disinformation, malicious cyber actors, and organised crime; and encouraging stable, inclusive, and prosperous societies.

Secretary Blinken confirmed intelligence findings that Russia has received ballistic missiles from Iran. Both Foreign Secretary Lammy and Secretary Blinken recognised the significance of this escalation and the concerning trend of Iran’s ever closer military support to Russia.

They condemned the transfer and made clear that, alongside international partners, they would take coordinated action to respond with new and significant measures for Iran and Russia.

The United Kingdom and United States also noted that Iran continued to bring instability to the region through its proliferation of advanced weaponry, alongside providing financial and political support to its partners, including Lebanese Hizballah, Hamas, the Houthis, and other groups in Iraq and Syria.

Both agreed that Iran’s nuclear programme had never been more advanced and posed a clear threat to regional and global peace and security.

Foreign Secretary Lammy expressed the United Kingdom’s clear support for the ongoing mediation efforts by the United States, Egypt, and Qatar to conclude the agreement for a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of hostages.

Both the United Kingdom and United States underlined their support for Israel’s security and the importance of avoiding any escalatory action in the region which would undermine the prospect for peace and progress towards a two-state solution.

In that regard, they affirmed their shared commitment to securing a political agreement for a lasting security solution along the Blue Line that will allow Israeli and Lebanese civilians on both sides to return to their homes with safety and security.

They discussed the humanitarian situation in Gaza and reiterated calls for all parties to the conflict to protect civilians and for Israel to facilitate the flow of aid, including ensuring the UN and humanitarian partners can deliver their operations safely.

They welcomed the ongoing polio vaccination campaign and underlined the importance of cooperation from all parties with the WHO and health agencies to ensure that all children who need to be are vaccinated.

The United Kingdom and United States reaffirmed their commitment to continue their Indo-Pacific Dialogue and pledged to explore new opportunities to coordinate approaches, work with others to support a free and open region, and oppose any unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force or coercion.

Both nations recognised that their partnership with Australia, through AUKUS, is a demonstration of that continued collective commitment to the region. They welcomed last month’s publication of the United Kingdom’s AUKUS Nations Open General Licence, alongside an International Traffic in Arms Regulations exemption granted by the United States and looked forward to implementation.

These changes will enable enhanced collaboration and the rapid development of some of the most advanced capabilities in the world – revolutionising AUKUS partners’ defence trade sectors and unlocking growth and export opportunities for all of our industries.

The United Kingdom and United States affirmed the importance of close coordination to advance shared objectives and common values and interests with respect to the Indo-Pacific.

On China, the two sides confirmed our shared commitment to upholding international law and the rules based international system and noted with concern dangerous and destabilising actions in the South China Sea by Chinese vessels towards Philippines vessels.

The United Kingdom and United States emphasised the need to respect the law of the sea as reflected in the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. They restated the importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait as indispensable to the security and prosperity of the international community and called for the peaceful resolution of cross-Strait issues.

The dialogue discussed the United Kingdom and United States’ shared priorities in Africa.  This includes efforts to end the conflict and promote expanded humanitarian access in Sudan and supporting Somalia’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, and long-term stability, including through the transition to a new African Union led security mission.

In the dialogue, the United Kingdom and United States reaffirmed a shared commitment to strengthening the resilience of democracies around the world.  Both noted longstanding US-UK collaboration on anti-corruption issues, and the United States welcomed increased UK focus on countering corruption – specifically kleptocracy – including by addressing illicit finance, beneficial ownership transparency, and enablers of corruption.

The United States and United Kingdom look forward to building on our cooperation in these areas, including through measures such as sanctions, multilateral and bilateral diplomacy, law enforcement, and foreign assistance.

Recognising the threat foreign information manipulation and interference (FIMI) poses to democracies, the United Kingdom and United States decided to increase the pace and scale of our joint efforts to disrupt Kremlin and other state-sponsored FIMI and to advance joint capabilities among our closest partners.

This effort was bolstered by a commitment from the United Kingdom and United States to take joint action to expose and disrupt covert foreign information operations around the world, which seek to spread lies and discord to undermine free and open societies.

The United Kingdom and United States affirm our ambition to deliver through the G7 Collective Response Framework in 2025. These efforts will include as special focus joint assistance to Ukraine to counter Kremlin disinformation and propaganda seeking to justify an unjustifiable invasion.

This work will build on and support both the United Kingdom and United States’ intention to continue bilateral cooperation on the five key action areas in the US Department of State’s Framework to Counter Foreign State Information Manipulation.

Drawing on Prime Minister Starmer and President Biden’s recent commitment to aligned ambitions for greater economic growth, Foreign Secretary Lammy and Secretary Blinken noted how the UK-US security partnership underpinned the prosperity that allows both economies to grow, while working on a suite of tools to protect our critical technologies at the same time.

They highlighted the centrality of the clean energy transition to economic security and growth and the criticality of strong climate leadership, as well as key domestic policies, such as the UK Clean Energy Superpower Mission and the US Inflation Reduction Act, and noted the considerable existing bilateral energy co-operation, including through the United Kingdom-United States Energy Dialogue.

The United Kingdom and United States committed to work together ahead of COP29 in Azerbaijan, including on global climate finance goals and driving progress on the effort to triple renewable energy capacity globally by 2030. They also committed to continue working through the G7 and other multilateral fora to enhance economic security and resilience.

Foreign Secretary Lammy and Secretary Blinken expressed their enthusiasm for continuing to build on the steadfast relationship between the United Kingdom and United States. They affirmed the importance of Prime Minister Starmer’s September 13 meeting with President Biden in Washington DC and decided to continue discussions across the full range of foreign and security policy priorities.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 13 September 2024.

A FCDO spokesperson said:

The UK supports the US in their assessment that RT is not only a state-funded propaganda house, but deliberately working to undermine our collective security on behalf of the Kremlin.

Already a mouthpiece for Russian disinformation, RT has mutated into an altogether more harmful organisation.

US information shows that RT is engaged in information operations and covert influence across the world. These activities strike at the democratic foundations of other countries, using intelligence operations and shadowy networks to incite political violence, and spread dissent across the world. Working in direct cooperation with the Kremlin, RT has sought to influence democratic processes in Moldova and to spread damaging lies designed to inflame tensions.

As part of this cooperation the Russian Government had embedded an entity with cyber operational capabilities and ties to Russian intelligence within RT with the full knowledge of RTs senior leadership.

Alongside its public lies and disinformation RT has also used proxy outlets under the guise of independent media to disseminate false pro-Kremlin narratives.

Together with our international partners we have already taken strong measures to prevent RT from achieving its pernicious objectives, sanctioning its parent company TV Novosti and working to restrict its influence. We will continue to bear down on those who would threaten our collective security and democratic values.

In its control of RT, we see the extent of the Russian state’s duplicity: weaponising the media in order to spread lies, threaten global security and further its illegal invasion of Ukraine. We have seen these shoddy attempts to obscure the truth and they have failed.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 13 September 2024.

The eighth UK-Japan Cyber Dialogue took place on 12 to 13 September 2024 in London.

The meeting was co-chaired by Will Middleton, Cyber Director at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and Naoki Kumagai, Ambassador in charge of Cyber Policy and Deputy Director-General of the Foreign Policy Bureau at Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA).

Representatives attended from the UK’s FCDO, Cabinet Office (CO), Department for Business and Trade (DBT), Department for Science, Information and Technology (DSIT), Home Office (HO) and National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), and from Japan’s MOFA, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC), Ministry of Defense (MOD), National center of Incident readiness and Strategy for Cybersecurity (NISC), National Police Agency (NPA), and Japan Computer Emergency Response Team Coordination Center (JPCERT/CC).

At this dialogue, the 2 sides exchanged views on a wide range of issues, such as on each country’s cybersecurity strategy and policy, cooperation in the international fora including the UN, and cybersecurity capacity building.

Both chairs agreed to strengthen cooperation under the May 2023 UK-Japan Cyber Partnership as a linchpin of the wider global strategic partnership. Both sides affirmed that the 2 countries will continue to meet under the Cyber Dialogue.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 13 September 2024.

UK Statement for the Interactive Dialogue with the UN Working Group on Mercenaries.

Thank you, Mr President,

The UK would like to thank the Working Group for its report today which sheds light on the role of mercenaries and mercenary related actors in the trafficking and proliferation of arms.

The UK remains deeply concerned by the widespread human rights abuses carried out by mercenary related actors such as the Wagner Group, who have engaged in arms trafficking, while continuing to exacerbate conflict, inflict violence and undermine peace and security wherever they operate.

The UK condemns the killing of civilians, torture and sexual and gender-based violence carried out by the Wagner Group, which is now being replaced by new groups such as Africa Corps, PMC BEAR and no doubt others. These proxy actors profit from conflict while supporting Russia’s malign aims.

The UK will continue to use all tools necessary and appropriate to tackle these actors and to hold them to account.

Members of the Working Group,

Given the evolving nature of conflicts, coupled with the rising involvement of these malign actors carrying out mercenary-like activities, how can the Working Group assist States in enhancing their capacity to effectively address these challenges?

Thank you.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 13 September 2024.

UK Statement for Independent Expert on Older Persons. Delivered at the 57th Human Rights Council in Geneva.

Thank you, Mr President,

The UK welcomes the recent consensus adoption by the General Assembly of the Open Ended Working Group on Ageing’s recommendations.

We agree with the Independent Expert that there is still a lot of work to be done.

Critical data gaps globally need to be addressed for comprehensive policy development. Without quality, disaggregated data, it will be challenging to understand the extent of exclusion that many older people currently face.

The UK is working on addressing this challenge. We have been supporting the Titchfield City Group to develop standardised tools and methods for producing both data disaggregated by age and ageing-related data. The Group will issue a final report of their findings in 2025.

We thank the Independent Expert for her work highlighting the key gaps facing older people. Are there any particular thematic areas where older persons are most neglected?

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 13 September 2024.

UK Statement for the Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery, including its causes and consequences.

Thank you, Mr President,

We thank the Special Rapporteur for his thorough report on how incarcerated and formerly incarcerated people are affected by slavery, and for bringing this important issue to the Council’s attention.

We are deeply concerned by the scale of sexual exploitation and abuse faced by incarcerated people.  Women, children and ethnic minorities are particularly at risk. We must end discriminatory laws and practices that enable a culture of impunity for such exploitation. Victims must have access to justice, and perpetrators must be held to account.

Individuals who have been incarcerated are often stigmatised afterwards. This increases their risk of becoming victims of modern slavery. We therefore welcome your recommendations on the importance of reintegration measures to enable access to education, decent work, adequate housing and financial inclusion.

In 2022, the UK changed legislation so that, for the first time some people with sentences of four years and over will no longer have to disclose their criminal record.

Special Rapporteur,

We would welcome your recommendations on what more can be done to strengthen reintegration measures for incarcerated people during and after their detention.

Thank you.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 13 September 2024.

Richard Crowder has been appointed as Head of British Office Sudan and UK Special Representative to Sudan in succession to Mr Giles Lever.

Curriculum vitae

Full name: Richard Crowder

Year	Role
2022 to 2024	Full Time Arabic Language Training, London and Amman

2020 to 2022

Deputy Director, FCDO London

2017 to 2020

Islamabad, Deputy High Commissioner

2014 to 2016

FCO, Deputy Director, Europe Directorate

2011 to 2014

FCO, Head, Economics Unit

2007 to 2011

Brussels, Seconded to Policy Unit, Council of the European Union and then External Action Service.

2006 to 2007

Masters in Public Administration, Harvard Kennedy School

2002 to 2006

FCO, Head, Gibraltar Team, Europe Directorate

1999 to 2002

Moscow, Second Secretary

1997 to 1998

FCO, Desk Officer, Birmingham G8 Summit

1996 to 1997

FCO, Desk Officer, Africa Great Lakes

1996	Joined FCO

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 13 September 2024.

Statement by Ambassador James Kariuki, UK Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, at the UN Security Council meeting on threats to international peace and security.

By calling this meeting today on ‘western weapons transfers to Ukraine’, Russia has, yet again, succeeded only in drawing our attention to its continued hypocrisy.

Just days ago, it came to light that Russia has received Iranian ballistic missiles for use in prosecuting its illegal war against Ukraine. The transfer poses a direct threat to European security and stability elsewhere and will increase the suffering of the Ukrainian people. It is this which should be the focus of today’s meeting, not Western support for a sovereign state’s legitimate and legal right to defend itself.

Iranian close-range ballistic missiles will soon reach European soil. The transfer will increase Russia’s capability to launch short-range attacks on the front lines, enabling it to use more of its long-distance missiles to strike deeper inside Ukraine. As we said earlier this week together with our international partners, we can be certain that the suffering of the Ukrainian people will increase as a result.

Colleagues, none of us need reminding of the atrocities Russia will inflict with the aid of these weapons. The UN has verified over 35,000 civilian casualties caused by Russia’s war – we suspect the real number is far higher. Russian missiles are hitting schools and children’s hospitals. Humanitarian workers are being killed. And Russia is cynically and brutally targeting Ukrainian energy infrastructure, posing significant risks to the lives of millions of Ukrainians ahead of winter. It seems that only one member of this Council needs reminding that deliberately targeting civilian infrastructure is a war crime.

President, Russia also continues to purchase significant quantities of weapons for use in Ukraine, including ballistic missiles from DPRK, in violation of UN Security Council resolutions Russia itself voted for.

This increased military cooperation between Russia, Iran and DPRK poses an unacceptable threat to not only European security, but to global security. In return for weapons needed to prolong its illegal war, Russia is violating sanctions endorsed by the UN Security Council and building the capabilities of, and emboldening, both the Iranian and North Korean regimes. This contributes to further destablisation in the Middle East and Indo-Pacific.

Russia’s war in Ukraine is a flagrant violation of international law and the UN Charter. We will not be deterred from our unwavering support for Ukraine. We remain committed to providing the political and military support Ukraine requires to defend itself – in line with its Article 51 right – against Russia’s unjustified and unprovoked invasion, and to secure a just and lasting peace, in line with the UN Charter.

And President, let me conclude with the words of my Prime Minister yesterday: “Russia started this conflict. Russia illegally invaded Ukraine. Russia could end this conflict straight away. Ukraine has the right to self-defence.”

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 12 September 2024.

UK Ambassador to the IAEA Corinne Kitsell’s statement on behalf of Australia, the UK and the US to the International Atomic Energy Agency Board of Governors on IAEA safeguards and AUKUS

Chair,

I take the floor on behalf of the United Kingdom, Australia, and the United States to respond to comments made regarding Australia’s acquisition of a naval nuclear propulsion capability through the AUKUS partnership. We are again compelled to invoke our Right of Reply to address remarks that purposefully mischaracterise AUKUS partners’ intentions and attempt to undermine the independence, integrity, and authority of the IAEA. Under this item, the Board has repeatedly heard unsubstantiated claims that ignore or misrepresent the information we have provided in good faith, and assertions that disregard the statements made by the Director General.

I reiterate that this matter has not been adopted as a standing agenda item by this Board and has never enjoyed consensus support. It is regrettable that this unnecessary item has been added to the agenda for nearly three years, at the insistence of one member state, when there are pressing non-proliferation concerns requiring the Board’s attention.

Director General Grossi has expressed his satisfaction with AUKUS partners’ engagement and transparency and reiterated that he will continue to update the Board on naval nuclear propulsion as appropriate. The AUKUS partners have continued to engage consistently, openly, and transparently with Member States and the Secretariat on genuine questions, including at the 2023 and 2024 NPT Preparatory Committees. Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States have provided updates on relevant progress at all Board meetings since the initial AUKUS announcement in September 2021. We will do so again at this meeting under Any Other Business, where it remains most appropriate.

Chair,

The Director General has already provided clear answers to questions raised today and in previous meetings, including in his reports on Australia’s naval nuclear propulsion program to the Board:

Naval nuclear propulsion was foreseen by the drafters of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). Article 14 of the IAEA’s draft Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement (CSA) is the specific provision to support the right of states to use nuclear material in a non-proscribed military activity, including for naval nuclear propulsion, within the safeguards framework.

The IAEA has the clear authority, under the IAEA Statute, as agreed by 178 Member States, to negotiate directly with Member States on the establishment, and application, of safeguards and verification arrangements – including those pertaining to naval nuclear propulsion. The NPT, IAEA Statute, Australia’s CSA, and Additional Protocol provide a firm legal basis for Australia to engage with the IAEA on the safeguards and verification approach for this program.

The Director General has clearly stated that the Agency has “the necessary experience to develop the arrangements related to the use of nuclear material for naval nuclear propulsion in accordance with the Statute and relevant safeguards agreements.” Despite these statements, it is concerning that some states persistently question the Director General’s ability to perform the functions vested in him by the Statute, by the relevant safeguards agreements, and by decisions of the Board.

It is untrue that the transfer of high enriched uranium from a nuclear-weapon State to a non-nuclear-weapon State runs counter to the spirit of the NPT. The transfer of nuclear material at any enrichment level to a non-nuclear-weapon State, is not prohibited by the NPT and indeed such transfers have regularly taken place with IAEA oversight.

Under the Article 14 arrangement, the IAEA will maintain oversight of nuclear material. Australia’s Article 14 arrangement will include a package of robust verification measures that will enable the IAEA to continue to meet its technical safeguards objectives throughout the submarines’ lifecycle. Once the Article 14 arrangement is developed, the Director General will transmit it to the Board for ‘appropriate action’ – as we have said many times before. To suggest that the Board will somehow be bypassed is categorically false.

We would also like to draw the Board’s attention to the recent signing and publication of the AUKUS Agreement for Cooperation Related to Naval Nuclear Provision. Upon entry into force, this Agreement will reaffirm Australia’s obligations under the NPT and make Australia’s other key non-proliferation commitments legally binding conditions for AUKUS partners’ ongoing cooperation. Importantly, under the Agreement, Australia cannot receive any nuclear material from the UK or the US for use in naval nuclear propulsion prior to having an Article 14 Agreement in place.

Chair,

Our three countries – along with the majority of this Board – continue to oppose any proposal for this item to be a standing agenda item or to establish any efforts that undermine and politicise the independent technical mandate of the IAEA. We encourage colleagues to continue to reject deliberate efforts to undermine the Agency’s independence and integrity.

We will continue to engage in good faith with Member States on genuine questions, consistent with our approach to maintaining open and transparent engagement, and welcome the Director General’s continued commitment to provide updates on naval nuclear propulsion, as he deems appropriate.

Thank you, Chair.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 12 September 2024.

Statement by Ambassador James Kariuki, UK Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, at the UN Security Council meeting on Yemen.

I’m grateful to the Special Envoy Grundberg and Acting USG Msuya for their briefings. And I also thank Ms Al Obahi for her vital insights that serve as a timely reminder of the importance of engagement with civil society and the Yemeni community, especially women, in order to achieve long-term stability and peace in Yemen.

I also welcome the participation of the permanent representative of Yemen in our meeting today.

Let me make three points.

First, I join the briefers in highlighting the plight of UN, NGO workers and staff and former staff of diplomatic missions who remain in Houthi captivity.

It is over three months since their detention; that’s three months of families being torn apart by the unprovoked and arbitrary act; and three months of reducing the humanitarian community’s capacity to be able to fully support Yemenis in need. There is no justification for this. We once again call on the Houthis to immediately and unconditionally release those detained.

Second, I join Ms Msuya in highlighting the severe constraints on humanitarian access in Yemen especially in Houthi-controlled areas. The reckless actions of the Houthis are further restricting an already complex and hostile operating environment, making it almost impossible to get aid to those who need it.

We must all be clear about the importance of safe and effective humanitarian access so that we can continue to deliver critical, lifesaving support to the Yemeni people.

Third, we once again reiterate this Council’s call for the Houthis to cease their dangerous and illegal attacks on maritime shipping.

The recent attack on the MV Sounion is a clear example of the Houthis’ disregard for the catastrophic environmental and economic consequences of their actions for both Yemen and the region.

We call for the immediate cessation of arms supplies to Houthis. The continued supply of advanced weapons which enables these attacks shows complete disregard for the UN Arms Embargo.

President, to conclude, the UK is grateful to Special Envoy Grundberg’s efforts to facilitate economic dialogue, de-escalate tensions and preserve space for a future peace process.

We are unwavering in our support to his efforts to secure an inclusive, sustainable peace in Yemen and we continue to call on all parties to de-escalate tensions and preserve space for negotiations under UN auspices.

Rather than pursuing reckless attacks and the detention of innocent civilians, we urge the Houthis to prioritise the needs of Yemenis by engaging with peace process negotiations.