Tag: Foreign Office

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 29 August 2023.

The Foreign Secretary is visiting China on Wednesday 30 August for high-level talks with senior representatives from the Chinese government.

• Foreign Secretary James Cleverly is visiting Beijing tomorrow.
• He will look to further UK national interests including cyber, international security and human rights
• As well as cooperating to face global problems such as climate change.

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly is travelling to Beijing to strengthen channels of communication to further and protect British interests as set out in his Mansion House speech.

In the speech in April, the Foreign Secretary set out the UK’s multifaceted approach to China across three pillars.   First, to protect national security whenever Beijing poses a threat to UK people or prosperity, second, to align cooperation with friends and allies in the Indo-Pacific and across the world to uphold international law, and third, to engage directly with China to promote stable relations.

Now, in the first visit of a UK Foreign Secretary for over five years, James Cleverly will hold bilateral meetings with China’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Director of the Office of the Central Foreign Affairs Commission Wang Yi, and Vice President Han Zheng.

Issues such as climate change cannot be tackled without China – as the world’s largest investor in sustainable energy and the largest emitter of carbon, the choices that China makes are critical to our collective ability to tackle this global problem.

The Foreign Secretary will say that China’s global significance comes with a responsibility on international security – helping to end Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, diffusing tensions in the South China Sea and ceasing malign activity in cyberspace.

During his visit, the Foreign Secretary will raise Beijing’s human rights obligations, including in relation to communities in Xinjiang and Tibet. He will also challenge China on the erosion of autonomy, rights and freedoms in Hong Kong under the Beijing-imposed National Security Law, as well as other UK interests including the sanctions placed on UK MPs.

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said:

“It is important we manage our relationship with China across a range of issues.

“No significant global problem – from climate change to pandemic prevention, from economic instability to nuclear proliferation – can be solved without China.

“China’s size, history and global significance means they cannot be ignored, but that comes with a responsibility on the global stage. That responsibility means China fulfilling its international commitments and obligations”.

It is important to have discussions face to face and raise these issues directly with the centre of the Chinese system, making clear the UK’s position with the decision makers in Beijing. This approach is in line with that of international partners, such as the recent visits of Five Eyes and European partners.

The engagements come after a visit to the Philippines, where the Foreign Secretary held talks on a range of subjects including maritime security, climate and trade.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 28 August 2023.

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly will visit the Philippines and meet with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr and Foreign Secretary Enrique Manalo.

• Foreign Secretary James Cleverly will visit the Philippines to discuss the new UK-Philippines Enhanced Partnership
• Cleverly will meet Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr and Foreign Secretary Enrique Manalo and visit the Philippines Coast Guard
• visit continues engagement with Indo-Pacific partners following commitment in Integrated Review Refresh to build enduring partnerships

The UK is set to deepen its relationship with the Philippines, as the Foreign Secretary travels to Manila for trade and security talks in the region.

In Manila, Foreign Secretary James Cleverly will meet President Ferdinand Marcos Jr and Foreign Secretary Enrique Manalo to discuss how to further strengthen the UK-Philippines Enhanced Partnership. The partnership was launched in December 2021 to increase UK-Philippines collaboration on key areas including climate and environment, trade, maritime security and foreign policy.

Since then, the UK has launched British Investment Partnerships (BIP) to support resilient growth and held an inaugural maritime dialogue on marine conservation and maritime security.

The Foreign Secretary will also visit the Philippines Coast Guard to discuss cooperation on maritime security, counter terrorism and environmental protection.

He will also reiterate the necessity of upholding the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) in the interests of global stability and the protection of maritime trade routes.

Around 60% of global shipping passes through the Indo-Pacific region, directly benefiting households and businesses in the UK and worldwide.

As set out in the Integrated Review Refresh, the Indo-Pacific is of critical importance to the UK’s future security and to the Prime Minister’s priority of growing the UK’s economy. With over half of global growth set to come from the Indo-Pacific by 2050, the region is home to thriving economies, cutting-edge science and tech as well as being on the frontline of global challenges like climate change. The UK is working with the Philippines and other likeminded partners to safeguard security and prosperity across the region.

Ahead of the visit Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said:

“I’m delighted to visit the Philippines for the first time, a place which shares common values and interests with the UK.

“We are expanding our areas of collaboration by growing our trade and investment through British Investment Partnerships and deepening cooperation on security, maritime and climate.”

The UK-Philippines partnership is working for both countries, rooted in our shared commitment to safeguarding freedom and democracy, and ensuring our future prosperity. The visit will be the Foreign Secretary’s third time travelling to southeast Asia in his role, following travel to Singapore in 2022 and Indonesia in July 2023 for the ASEAN Foreign Minister’s meeting.

It also follows his Indo-Pacific tour to Japan and the Pacific Islands earlier in the year, where the Foreign Secretary reiterated the importance of securing a free and open Indo-Pacific.

Background

• the UK-Philippines Enhanced Partnership was launched in 2021. Read more about the work taking place under the Partnership including dialogues on trade and investment, climate change and the launch of British Investment Partnerships in the Philippines.
• during the Foreign Secretary’s visit he will sign a Statement of Intent to upgrade the UK-Philippines Enhanced Partnership alongside Foreign Secretary Manalo.

The press release issued by the Northern Ireland Office on 28 August 2023.

Secretary of State hears plans for the upcoming Open Championship at Royal Portrush in 2025

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 28 August 2023.

Statement by Ambassador James Kariuki at the UN Security Council meeting on Mali.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 27 August 2023.

Newly appointed British High Commissioner, Jane Marriott CMG OBE, will visit Karachi ahead of the expected arrival of the Royal Navy’s HMS Lancaster.

During her visit, she will be meeting with business, political and community leaders, with a focus on boosting UK-Pakistan trade links. Bilateral trade is currently worth over £4 billion, nearly doubling in 3 years.

The British High Commissioner will also visit HMS Lancaster, which is in Karachi on a routine bilateral Royal Navy-Pakistan Navy training exercise. These exercises are part of a range of ‘Defence Diplomacy’ activities, part of the UK’s commitment to maintaining its well-established defence relationship with Pakistan.

British High Commissioner, Jane Marriott CMG OBE, said:

Karachi is one of the best places in Pakistan to discuss business, the country’s beating heart and home to some of the country’s most pioneering industries. I am looking forward to hearing from UK and Pakistani businesses on how we can support each other’s ambitious trade goals.

In a demonstration of the breadth of the UK-Pakistan relationship, I am also looking forward to welcoming HMS Lancaster for a bilateral exercise.

Earlier this year, Pakistan welcomed the British Army’s Chief of the General Staff, General Sir Patrick Sanders KCB CBE, to strengthen senior relationships. Every year British Army Officers attend Quetta Staff College, whilst Pakistani Officers attend the UK’s military academies to improve mutual understanding.

Notes to editors

• HMS Lancaster is in Karachi for Ex WHITESTAR, a routine bilateral Royal Navy-Pakistan Navy exercise involving HMS Lancaster, PNS Taimur and PNS Yarmook.
  This is the fourth iteration of the exercise, an important calendar event in maintaining our well-established defence relationship.
• HMS Lancaster’s visit comes one year on from Pakistan’s floods. The UK’s Ministry of Defence was at the forefront of responding to last year’s floods, airlifting in eight boats and ten portable generators at the request of Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff to support the relief effort.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 25 August 2023.

Statement by Ambassador James Kariuki at the UN Security Council meeting on North Korea.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 25 August 2023.

Statement by Ambassador James Kariuki at the UN Security Council meeting on threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 24 August 2023.

Statement by Ambassador James Kariuki at the UN Security Council meeting on Ukraine.

President, let me begin by wishing a happy Independence Day to all Ukrainians. In 1991, Ukraine declared independence from the former USSR, with 92% of the country voting in favour in a national referendum.

Ukraine’s existence as a sovereign country was recognised by the United Nations, including the Russian Federation.

If Russia’s illegal invasion last year had succeeded there would be one fewer independent UN State today.

Ukrainians’ heroic resistance in the face of Russian aggression not only protects their freedom, but defends the United Nations Charter, with its basic principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity.

If Russia wins this war, it would give the green-light to a new era of international aggression where big countries can rewrite borders by force. None of us wants that.

We are deeply indebted to the Ukrainian people for their immense sacrifice. And we are proud to stand with them.

As we mark Ukraine’s independence, we reflect on Russia’s deliberate efforts to target Ukraine’s future – its children.

The United Nations has reported Russia is committing grave violations against children in its war of aggression – the first time a permanent Council member has ever been listed for doing so.

As well as killing children directly, and destroying their homes, their schools, their hospitals; the Ukrainian authorities report that Russia has, to date, forcibly transferred or deported over 19,000 children since 2022. President Putin, and his Children’s Rights Commissioner, are the subject of arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court for their alleged role.

For Ukrainian families, these forced transfers and deportations have devastating and life changing consequences that will be felt for generations. Russia uses fear of this tactic to suppress dissent among Ukrainians living under temporary Russian control. It is also a deliberate attempt to erase Ukrainian culture, identity and statehood.

Russia has not attempted to preserve the identities of the children it has forcibly deported, as required by international humanitarian law. Rather, there is growing evidence that Russia has seriously violated this right, forcing children to assimilate with the culture of the state that is seeking to destroy their own country.

President, Russia also has a clear legal obligation under the fourth Geneva Convention to facilitate communication and reunification between children and their relatives or legal guardians.

Russia has failed to provide reliable information about the children it has transferred to its territory, particularly to those children placed with Russian foster families.

As OHCHR reported, children themselves have often been forced to trace and find parents or family members. This is an unacceptable burden to place on children, especially those dealing with the trauma of Russia’s illegal invasion.

Just 386 children have so far been returned. We thank representatives from Save Ukraine for their vital work on these returns.

We call on Russia to respect Ukrainian independence, return its children, withdraw its troops and end this war.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 24 August 2023.

Following a launch using ballistic missile technology by North Korea on 24 August 2023, G7 Foreign Ministers gave a joint statement.

We, the G7 Foreign Ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, and the High Representative of the European Union, condemn in the strongest terms North Korea’s launch using ballistic missile technology conducted on August 24, 2023. This launch is a clear, flagrant violation of multiple United Nations Security Council Resolutions (UNSCRs) and poses a grave threat to regional and international peace and stability.

Despite the repeated calls from the international community, North Korea continues to intensify its escalatory actions through a record number of ballistic missile launches, which only attest to its determination to advance and diversify its unlawful nuclear and ballistic missile capabilities. We once again reiterate our demand that North Korea abandon its nuclear weapons, existing nuclear programs, and any other weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programs in a complete, verifiable, and irreversible manner and fully comply with all obligations under the relevant UNSCRs. North Korea cannot and will never have the status of a nuclear-weapon State under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT).

North Korea’s reckless action must be met with a swift, united, and robust international response, particularly by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC). The frequency of North Korea’s repeated blatant violations of UNSCRs juxtaposed with the UNSC’s corresponding inaction because of some members’ obstruction is cause for significant alarm. We urge the UNSC Members to follow through on their commitments. We call on North Korea to engage in meaningful diplomacy and accept the repeated offers of dialogue put forward by Japan, the United States, and the Republic of Korea without preconditions.

We deplore North Korea’s choice to divert its limited resources to fund its unlawful weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programs, thereby aggravating the suffering of the people in North Korea and contributing to human rights violations and abuses.

The G7 remains committed to working with all relevant partners toward the goal of peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and to upholding the international order based on the rule of law.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 24 August 2023.

Diplomats visited the Palestinian community of Burqa and the site of the recently displaced community of Ras at-Tin amid accelerating rates of settler violence.