Tag: Foreign Office

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 1 October 2025.

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

The United Kingdom voted in favour of the draft Security Council resolution proposed for adoption on 18 September, in line with our longstanding demand for urgent action to address the appalling humanitarian situation in Gaza, bring the hostages home and end the conflict.

 Since Hamas’ atrocities of October 7, hostages have been held in unimaginable conditions in Gaza. 

We reiterate our condemnation of Hamas and its terrorist ideology.

Hamas must have no role in the future of Gaza – they need to disarm and end their rule.

However, the path to peace must be through dialogue and diplomacy, not further bloodshed.

The UK condemns Israel’s reckless expansion of its military operation which has already cost the lives of 65,000 Palestinians.

We are witnessing an entirely man-made famine in Gaza, and are shocked by images of starving Palestinians killed while desperately seeking scraps of food for their families.

This is abhorrent.

We urge Israel to ensure the protection of civilians, and immediately lift its restrictions on the entry of aid, to allow the UN and humanitarian agencies to save lives, in line with its obligations under international humanitarian law.

As my Prime Minister said this week, we welcome US efforts to develop a plan for sustainable peace.

We call on all sides to come together and to work with the US Administration to finalise this agreement and bring it into reality.

Hamas should now agree to the plan and end the misery, by laying down their arms and releasing all remaining hostages. 

Together with our international partners, we will continue work to achieve consensus on a permanent end to the conflict and a pathway towards a peaceful future.

The UK’s historic recognition of the state of Palestine last week is part of our commitment to protecting the viability of a two-state solution – the only path to a just and lasting peace and to security for Palestinians and Israelis alike.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 24 September 2025.

Ambassador Holland says that recent Russian airspace violations are part of a wider pattern of behaviour that seeks to test NATO’s resolve and distract from Russia’s illegal war of aggression in Ukraine. The UK demands an honest response from Russia. In the OSCE, credibility matters.

Thank you, Madame Chair. Russia’s brutal and unprovoked war of aggression war in Ukraine continues. I want to be clear to begin with that the international community should not allow Russia’s provocations elsewhere to distract from the urgent need to end this war.

That said, the United Kingdom remains gravely concerned by the dangerous violations of NATO airspace by Russian military aircraft, including the most recent incursions into the sovereign airspace of Estonia. These actions should not be considered in isolation. They are part of a wider pattern of increasingly irresponsible Russian behaviour that seeks to test NATO’s resolve and distract from Russia’s ongoing illegal war of aggression against Ukraine.

Russia continues to engage in reckless manoeuvres that risk escalation and undermine regional security. Let us be clear: NATO is a defensive alliance. Its purpose is to protect, not provoke. That is why the UK has contributed to EASTERN SENTRY to bolster NATO’s security along our entire Eastern Flank. Russia should be in no doubt that NATO and Allies will employ all necessary military and non-military tools, in accordance with international law, to defend ourselves and deter all threats in a manner, timing and domain of our choosing.

The FSC is mandated to foster military-to-military dialogue, build confidence and reduce risk of escalation between States. If Russia truly wishes to engage in meaningful dialogue, then full and honest participation in these organisations is the obvious mechanism. The UK will continue to ask constructive questions, but we expect honest and direct answers. If direct answers and participation in good faith are not forthcoming, then it will be clear that Russia continues to hide behind misinformation and false narratives. Madame Chair, in this forum, credibility matters.

At last week’s Opening Session of the Forum for Security Co-operation (FSC), the United Kingdom asked Russia whether they would directly confirm responsibility for the other airspace violations observed in Poland on 9th September. Russia did not respond directly. So, in this spirit we ask again about this violation. If the Russian delegation requires more time to secure an accurate response from Moscow, then we encourage them to do so. We will ask again next week. Our questions are (again):

Firstly, if the incursions are unintentional, what steps is Russia taking to prevent recurrence?

And secondly, if they are in fact deliberate, what is Russia’s intent?

Additionally, will Russia commit to preventing future incursions including assuring NATO members that such violations will cease?

The United Kingdom stands firmly with Ukraine and with our NATO Allies. We will not be deterred by Russia’s irresponsible acts. We will continue to fully support Ukraine, whose security contributes to ours, in the exercise of its inherent right to self-defence. And we will continue to demand accountability for violations of international law, whether in the skies over Europe or on the ground in Ukraine. Thank you, Madame Chair.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 23 September 2025.

UK and partners call on Israel to restore the medical corridor to the West Bank for vital healthcare.

As the humanitarian disaster in the Gaza Strip continues to unfold, there is an urgent need to scale up medical treatment of patients from Gaza.

We, the undersigned, stand ready to provide support in the form of e.g. financial contributions, provision of medical staff or equipment needed for the treatment of patients from Gaza in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem.

We strongly appeal to Israel to restore the medical corridor to the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, so medical evacuations from Gaza can be resumed and patients can get the treatment that they so urgently need on Palestinian territory.

We furthermore urge Israel to lift restrictions on deliveries of medicine and medical equipment to Gaza in line with Israel’s obligations under international law, including international humanitarian law; to urgently and fully enable the UN and other humanitarian partners to do their life-saving work in Gaza; and in line with UN Security Council resolution 2286 (2016) to ensure that medical personnel exclusively engaged in medical duties are respected and protected, their safe and unimpeded passage is facilitated, along with their equipment, transport, and supplies.

This statement has been signed by:

• The Foreign Ministers of Austria, Belgium, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom
• The Ministers of Development Cooperation of Finland and the Netherlands
• The EU Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 23 September 2025.

UK Statement for the Item 4 General Debate. Delivered by the UK’s Permanent Representative to the WTO and UN, Kumar Iyer.

Thank you Mr Vice President,

The Taliban continue their assault on the rights of the Afghan people. Women and girls are barred from education and most employment, and face severe restrictions on nearly all aspects of their lives. Religious minorities are persecuted, journalists and activists face intimidation, and arbitrary detentions, torture, and public executions continue. We urge the Taliban to respect the rights of all Afghans.

In Iran, the arrest of over 20,000 people since the 12-day war in June is of serious concern. Many of these arrests are a means to scapegoat and target already marginalised groups, including members of the Baluchi and Kurdish ethnic minorities, and Baha’i, Christian and Jewish religious minorities. The continued use of the death penalty as a political tool is appalling and we reiterate that we oppose the death penalty in all circumstances.

In China, we remain deeply concerned about religious and cultural restrictions in Tibet, unjust detention of activists like Sophia Huang, and widespread censorship and surveillance. China must honour its human rights commitments and restore fundamental freedoms. In Hong Kong, we take reports about Jimmy Lai’s health conditions very seriously. We continue to press for an independent assessment. Jimmy Lai’s prosecution is politically motivated; he should be released.

Thank you.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 23 September 2025.

UK Statement for the Interactive Dialogue on the High Commissioner’s Report on Nicaragua. Delivered by the UK’s Human Rights Ambassador, Eleanor Sanders.

We are grateful to the High Commissioner for his report.

The continued deterioration of human rights in Nicaragua is deeply concerning. The report reinforces the need for sustained international scrutiny of the systemic dismantling of democratic institutions and repression of civil liberties.

The Nicaraguan authorities’ regrettable decision to withdraw from the UN Human Rights Council and other international human rights mechanisms must not deter that scrutiny.

The arbitrary expulsion of citizens, denial of re-entry, and deprivation of nationality are unacceptable and must end. 

Moreover, the reformed cybercrime law will enable the arbitrary criminalisation of peaceful expression, contributing to a climate of fear, censorship and of intimidation particularly for journalists in Nicaragua.

The report also sheds further light on violations of the rights of indigenous peoples and people of African descent, as well as evidence of the suppression of religious freedom.

To the Office of the High Commissioner,

We would welcome your views on how the international community can best support implementation of your recommendations and ensure accountability for these serious violations.

Thank you.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 23 September 2025.

Statement by The Rt Hon Yvette Cooper, Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, at the UN Security Council meeting on the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

Yesterday, alongside other ministers here in New York this week, I hosted a session to hear from doctors who have recently returned from Gaza, and the stories they told will stay with me forever.

One told of the screams of toddlers. And a scream of a toddler who she had operated on without full anaesthetics, and how she hoped and prayed that he would not feel pain.

Another told of the seriously malnourished pregnant women, affecting their babies.

And they talked about doctors and nurses whose family members were killed, but who still came back to work in hospitals in unimaginable conditions to help others.

And they told of how the absolute basics of modern medicine, like antibiotics and anaesthetics, things that we around this Council table take for granted for ourselves and our loved ones, were unavailable. Blocked and denied.

And we say the words “humanitarian crisis,” but this is what it means: the pain and the screams of a toddler who cannot get the basic health care that they need. 

And only 18 out of 36 hospitals in Gaza now remain open – all of them struggling to operate amidst severe shortages of fuel, medicine, equipment, and staff.

Over 1,700 healthcare workers have been killed in Gaza, more than 300 detained. This is what the catastrophic collapse of Gaza’s healthcare system looks like. 

And as we are gathered here, Israeli forces are escalating the conflict in Gaza City, pounding more homes into rubble, sending frightened families scattering. 

It is incomprehensible. It is inhumane. It is utterly unjustifiable. And it must end. 

All that this action from the Israeli Government will do is make a catastrophic humanitarian situation worse.

More healthcare in crisis.

Harder than ever to get desperately needed aid to those who need it.

More innocent children enduring a man-made famine.

More civilians killed.

But making it harder to get the remaining hostages out.

Hostages who are still being held, who were seized by Hamas on the barbaric terrorist attack of October 7th  and are still being held in the most horrendous conditions, prolonging the anguish for their families, and I reiterate our condemnation of Hamas and that barbaric terrorism on October 7th. 

I met with some of the UK-linked hostage families again last week. Their ask of all of us is to keep the hostages at the forefront of our minds, to do everything we can, to give their loved ones the chance of coming home, and to achieve a ceasefire that gives them the chance to do that.

And that must be our task.

We know what needs to be done. We need a ceasefire now. We need the release of all the hostages. We need the immediate restoration of aid and support for medical care. And we need a broader framework for the lasting peace. 

And I welcome and support mediation efforts being made by the United States, Qatar and Egypt to seek an end to conflict and to seek peace. 

We know too that Gaza cannot be seen in isolation from the West Bank. The Israeli government is tightening its stranglehold on the Palestinian economy and continuing to approve illegal settlement construction, including just recently in the E1 area of East Jerusalem, which is a further blow to the viability of the two-state solution, and we urge Israel to reverse these plans.

After two years of bloodshed, I believe the world is united in wanting this awful war to end.

United in wanting all the hostages released.

United in rejection of any role for Hamas in the future of Gaza or the future of a Palestinian state.

United in wanting Israel to unblock aid and end the humanitarian catastrophe.

And united in wanting a better and more peaceful future for the region, with the reconstruction of Gaza, the dignity for its people, and a new era of relations to support their collective security.

And that future must be based on a two-state solution.

The UK’s historic recognition of the state of Palestine this week is part of our commitment to peace.

Part of acting to protect the viability of the two-state solution as the only path to a just and lasting peace and to security for Palestinians and Israelis alike. 

Part of rejecting extremist ideas on all sides, which involve too often fantasies of the destruction of the State of Israel or expulsion of the Palestinian population, we reject both of those.

And part of our wider effort to work with partners on a long-term peace, not just to halt the immediate crisis but an advance a pragmatic plan for what comes next.

None of this can happen without an immediate ceasefire, and that is where all of this has to start. 

One of the doctors yesterday described the impact on children of growing up in trauma and devastation. And those will be the consequences on generations to come if we do not act now. 

We owe it to all of those children growing up in Gaza, across Palestine, across Israel. 

We owe it to all of them to build a better future.

The time for peace is now.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 23 September 2025.

Syria Core Group Statement for the Item 4 General Debate. Delivered by the UK’s Human Rights Ambassador, Eleanor Sanders.

Mr President,

This statement is made on behalf of six countries.

In April, this Council renewed the mandate of the Commission of Inquiry on Syria by a landmark consensus. The Commission continues to fulfil an important role to document human rights violations and abuses across the country. We appreciate the Syrian government’s facilitation and welcome the Commission’s report on the violence in the coastal region.

We welcome positive steps made by the government. Their investigation into the coastal violence, and the establishment of the Commissions on Transitional Justice and Missing Persons, are important steps towards justice and reconciliation.

However, challenges remain. The violence in Suwayda in July was horrific; attacks that threaten the peace, stability and territorial integrity of Syria are unacceptable. We welcome the establishment of an investigatory committee and the efforts to develop a roadmap to address the crisis in Suwayda as agreed by Syria, Jordan and the United States. 

Transparent and tangible action against all perpetrators is required. The justice system must serve all Syrians, regardless of their religious or ethnic background. We note the role that the OHCHR, the IIIM and IIMP can play, and encourage further cooperation to complement national efforts. 

We reaffirm our strong commitment to the full respect of the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of Syria. Now is the time to take the steps for an inclusive political process, which brings accountability and justice to all.

Thank you.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 23 September 2025.

The G7 Foreign Ministers met on the margins of High-Level Week at the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

We, the G7 Foreign Ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States of America and the High Representative of the European Union, met on the margins of High-Level Week at the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

We expressed concerns around Russia’s most recent airspace violations in Estonia, Poland and Romania, which are unacceptable and risk undermining international security. We underscored our ongoing commitment to work together to achieve a durable peace and a strong, independent, sovereign and prosperous Ukraine, by continuing to coordinate with the United States to provide Ukraine with robust and credible security guarantees. We discussed imposing further economic costs on Russia, including taking action against third country enablers.  We welcome ongoing discussions between G7 Finance Ministers on further leveraging Russian Sovereign Assets to support Ukraine.

We welcomed the U.S. and Panama proposal to establish a UN Support Office for Haiti and transition the Multinational Security Support Mission into a new force, with a mandate to dismantle gangs, secure critical infrastructure, and re-establish security in Haiti together with the Haitian authorities.

We stressed the urgency of alleviating the immense suffering of civilians in Gaza through a flood of humanitarian aid and securing the release of all hostages, and we reiterated our call for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.  We unequivocally condemned Hamas, including for its brutal and unjustified terror attacks on October 7, 2023. We reiterated that Hamas can have no role in Gaza’s future and must never again be a threat to Israel. We affirmed our readiness to engage with Arab partners on their proposals to chart a way forward on reconstruction in Gaza and build a lasting Israeli-Palestinian peace.

We called on Iran to fully implement its obligations under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, resume full cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), and engage in direct talks with the United States towards a robust, durable and comprehensive nuclear agreement that ensures Iran never obtains a nuclear weapon. We commended the E3’s decision to trigger the “snapback” mechanism.

We reaffirmed the importance of a free and open Indo-Pacific based on the rule of law.  We reiterated our strong opposition to any unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force or coercion, including in the East China Sea, the South China Sea, and across the Taiwan Strait. We reaffirmed our commitment to the complete denuclearization of North Korea and the immediate resolution of the abductions issue.

As the United Nations marks its 80th anniversary, we recognised the fundamental need for the reform of the United Nations and expressed willingness to participate in efforts to ensure that it is fit for purpose.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 22 September 2025.

UK Statement for the Interactive Dialogue with the Fact-Finding Mission on Venezuela. Not delivered due to time constraints.

Thank you, Mr. President.

The UK commends the work of the Mission and thanks it for its sobering report. 

We remain gravely concerned by the findings of the latest report, which once again lays bare the systematic and ongoing violations of human rights in Venezuela. The continued erosion of the rule of law, the widespread use of arbitrary detention, and the number of enforced disappearances is unacceptable.

Political repression has persisted and over 800 individuals remain arbitrarily detained, many without access to due process or legal representation. We call on the Venezuelan authorities to immediately release all those held arbitrarily and to uphold fair trial guarantees.

Mr. President, the findings presented today underscore the need for the Council’s continued attention on Venezuela. We reiterate our call on the Venezuelan authorities to cooperate fully with international mechanisms by granting them immediate and full access to the country. We urge concrete steps from Venezuela ahead of the next session, including implementing the Mission’s recommendations.

The UK remains steadfast in its support for the Venezuelan people and their fundamental rights.

Thank you.