Tag: Foreign Office

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 14 November 2023.

Simon Manley, the UK’s Permanent Representative to the WTO and UN, delivered a statement during Bangladesh’s Universal Periodic Review at the Human Rights Council.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 14 November 2023.

Simon Manley, the UK’s Permanent Representative to the WTO and UN, delivered a statement during Russia’s Universal Periodic Review at the Human Rights Council.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 14 November 2023.

The UK delivered a statement during Azerbaijan’s Universal Periodic Review at the Human Rights Council.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 14 November 2023.

The UK and US have targeted Hamas with a new tranche of sanctions today, restricting the terror group’s ability to operate.

• sanctions on Hamas leadership to include travel bans, asset freezes and arms embargoes
• package is co-ordinated with US and set to disrupt Hamas operations both in Gaza and wherever their leaders base themselves
• Foreign Secretary declares UK “stands in solidarity” with the Palestinian people caught up in the crisis and calls on all parties to agree to humanitarian pauses to allow lifesaving aid into Gaza

The UK’s sanctions are against 4 Hamas senior leaders and 2 Hamas financiers. The stringent measures have been placed on Hamas’ leadership in an effort to disrupt the group’s acts of terror.

Yahya Sinwar, Hamas’ political leader in Gaza, is among individuals from the group’s political and military wings targeted by today’s UK sanctions. He is reported to have been involved in the brutal attacks on Israel last month.

Also designated is Muhammed Deif, commander of the group’s military arm.

The sanctions show that the terror group’s leaders cannot escape the consequences of their actions, even if they are pulling the strings from outside of Gaza. Those covered include a Lebanon-based financier and money launderer in Sudan.

Foreign Secretary David Cameron said:

We will continue to use every tool at our disposal to disrupt the abhorrent activity of this terrorist organisation, working with the United States and our other allies, making it harder for them to operate and isolating them on the world stage.

The Palestinian people are victims of Hamas too. We stand in solidarity with them and will continue to support humanitarian pauses to allow significantly more lifesaving aid to reach Gaza.

All those sanctioned by the UK and US were targeted for their leadership or financing roles in the group, which was originally founded in the late 1980s with a commitment to destroy Israel. These designations add to existing UK sanctions against Hamas, including on the organisation itself.

Those now subject to UK travel bans, asset freezes and arms embargoes, which prohibit the sale of weapons and military equipment by a UK person to the designated person, include:

• Yahya Sinwar: Sinwar is a senior leader of Hamas and the group’s political leader in Gaza
• Muhammed Deif: Deif is a senior leader of Hamas and is the commander of the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades (IQB), the military arm of Hamas, who announced the October 2023 terrorist attacks
• Marwan Issa: Issa is a senior leader of Hamas and is the deputy commander of the IQB
• Musa Dudin: Dudin is a West Bank-based Hamas official who has procured weaponry for the group, enabling them to commit acts of terrorism
• Abdelbasit Hamza: Hamza is a Sudan-based Hamas financier who owned a network of companies that laundered money and traded in currency in order to finance Hamas
• Nabil Chouman: Chouman has channelled funds to Hamas through his Lebanon-based currency exchange

The UK and the US stand united in their solidarity with Israel in its fight against Hamas. We continue to use our diplomatic efforts to support a two-state solution to provide justice and security for both Israelis and Palestinians, including through the Prime Minister’s recent visits to the region to speak with their counterparts.

The UK has sent 51 tonnes of lifesaving aid to the region and doubled our funding commitment to the Occupied Palestinian Territories this year.

The Prime Minister has called on all parties to allow the humanitarian pauses necessary to allow more aid to enter Gaza and been clear that Israel’s forces must act within international law and stop extremist violence in the West Bank.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 13 November 2023.

Mr Jonathan Hargreaves has been appointed His Majesty’s Ambassador to the Republic of Kosovo in succession to Mr Nicholas Abbott who will be transferring to another Diplomatic Service appointment.  Mr Hargreaves will take up his appointment in early 2024.

Curriculum vitae

Full name: Jonathan Mark Richard Hargreaves

Married to: Kate Wilson Hargreaves

Children: Two

Date	Role
2020 to present	FCDO, UK Special Representative for Syria
2017 to 2020	Department for International Development (DFID), Deputy Director, Middle East and North Africa Division
2014 to 2017	DFID, Head of Governance, Open Societies and Anti-Corruption Department
2012 to 2014	DFID Jerusalem, Head of Office, and Head of DFID Palestinian Programme
2008 to 2012	DFID Kenya/Somalia, Deputy Head, and Somalia Programme Manager
2006 to 2008	UK Stabilisation Unit, Team Leader/Senior Adviser
2005 to 2006	DFID, Top Management Group, Adviser, White Paper Team
2002 to 2005	DFID, Governance Adviser, Great Lakes and Horn of Africa
2000 to 2002	DFID, Governance Adviser, Central and South Eastern Europe
1997 to 2000	KPMG, Consultant, Public Services Consulting
1996 to 1997	Dansk Energi Management, Belgium, Consultant
1994 to 1996	Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Lithuania, Adviser
1993 to 1994	United Nations Development Programme Lithuania, Programme Officer
1991 to 1993	European Commission, Brussels, Desk Officer

 

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 13 November 2023.

Simon Manley, the UK’s Permanent Representative to the WTO and UN, delivered a statement during Djibouti’s Universal Periodic Review at the Human Rights Council.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 13 November 2023.

Foreign Secretary David Cameron met Indian External Affairs Minister, Dr S Jaishankar, on 13 November 2023.

A Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office spokesperson said:

For his first bilateral meeting as Foreign Secretary, David Cameron welcomed Indian External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar in London today.

They discussed shared global challenges, including the concerning situation in Israel and Gaza and Russia’s illegal war in Ukraine. In the meeting they also covered the importance of the Indo-Pacific region to global growth and prosperity.

They also reflected on the strength of the UK-India relationship – including meeting the ambition of the UK-India 2030 Roadmap.

The Foreign Secretary and Dr Jaishankar also discussed progressing a free trade agreement and partnerships on defence, science and technology.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 10 November 2023.

Statement by Ambassador Barbara Woodward at the UN Security Council meeting on Gaza.

I thank the UAE and China for organising this session and our moment of silence earlier. I’d also like to thank Dr Tedros and Dr Jilani, not just for your briefings, but for the life saving work that you and your teams are doing.

Colleagues, we are in no doubt: there is a humanitarian crisis in Gaza. And as Dr Tedros set out, that humanitarian crisis is deteriorating day by day. Of course, we welcome the opening of the Rafah border, and we thank partners for their work in allowing foreign nationals to leave. But it is essential and urgent that more aid flows in the other direction into Gaza.

Access both through Rafah and other crossing points needs to improve so that aid can reach the people who so desperately need it. For this to happen, we must see humanitarian pauses that allow enough time for aid to be delivered to those who need it and for hostages to be released. Fuel must be allowed to enter Gaza so that hospitals and water desalination plants can operate and for aid to be delivered. The pauses in northern Gaza are a first step but any pauses in hostilities should allow sufficient time and security both for civilians to move and for humanitarian aid to be delivered.

Since the 7th of October, the UK has been firm in its support for Israel’s right to self-defence following Hamas terrorist attacks against Israel. In this context, international humanitarian law is not a nice to have. International humanitarian law is what keeps humanitarian workers and medical staff safe to assist those in need and protects civilians and civilian infrastructure, including hospitals, wherever possible. So we urge all parties to the conflict to take all possible steps to minimise harm to civilians, health and humanitarian workers and to protect its sites. And we express our condolences for each life lost.

Finally, Mr President, we have been clear that Israel must do more to prevent escalation in the West Bank. We welcome statements, including that made by Prime Minister Netanyahu, condemning settler violence. But we must see tangible action to bring perpetrators to justice. We also condemn attacks against Israel emanating from armed groups in the region. The UK Foreign Secretary was in Riyadh yesterday where he discussed preventing regional escalation with the foreign ministers and representatives of Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Lebanon, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman and the Palestinian Authority. The Foreign Secretary also reaffirmed the UK’s unwavering commitment to a two-state solution.

Thank you, President.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 9 November 2023.

Explanation of vote by Ambassador to the General Assembly Richard Croker at the UN Fourth Committee.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 9 November 2023.

Deputy Ambassador Deirdre Brown welcomes Armenian efforts to support the 100,000 people displaced by September’s military action and calls on Azerbaijan to implement a meaningful reintegration plan for those wishing to return.

Following the end of September’s military action in Nagorno-Karabakh, the UK welcomes the access that the Azerbaijani authorities have enabled for the UN and other humanitarian actors to the region. We remain concerned for the welfare of residents affected by the limited access to supplies over the period before September’s events, and strongly support the efforts of the UN and other multilateral agencies to address urgent humanitarian needs of those affected by the conflict. We welcome the cooperation Azerbaijan has shown the relevant international agencies to date, and encourage them to continue to support efforts to address need in the region.

Further to this, we also welcome Armenian efforts to support the 100,000 people displaced by the conflict. Some of those displaced may wish to return to homes they have left behind. A meaningful reintegration plan that accommodates the needs of those wishing to return is of paramount importance. We encourage Azerbaijan to implement such a plan, including the protection of their rights and ability to participate in civic and political life, rigorously and in a coherent and transparent manner.

Now is the time to make progress on a lasting settlement for the region overall. We call on both Armenia and Azerbaijan to resolve the issues surrounding this region peacefully through dialogue, and in a manner which fully respects the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all states.