Tag: Foreign Office

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 20 April 2023.

Ambassador Neil Bush responds to the report presentation by Ambassador Kilian Wahl, Head of the OSCE Mission to Skopje.

Thank you, Mr Chair.

Firstly, I would like to welcome Ambassador Wahl to the Permanent Council for the first time since taking on the role as Head of Mission in November. Thank you for the work of your team over the last year, and for this comprehensive report.

The United Kingdom highly appreciates the work and added value of the OSCE Mission to Skopje – in particular the Mission’s support to government reforms, monitoring of security-related developments, and your early action to address emerging issues. I was delighted to be able to visit the Mission in February and hear first-hand about your programme activity and engagement with civil society in North Macedonia.

We positively note the achievements of the Mission over the past 12 months, set out in detail in your report. In particular, we welcome your continued activity to promote social cohesion – including your assistance in implementation of the government’s ‘National Strategy for One Society and Inter-culturalism’. We similarly appreciate your connected work on integrated education, particularly in supporting the city of Skopje in implementing joint curricula classes in different languages, and in assisting the drafting of the government’s Concept for General Secondary Education – which incorporates the principles of anti-discrimination, gender equality, inclusion and inter-ethnic integration. These are essential principles in any society.

The UK welcomes the Mission’s achievements this year on anti-corruption, including the training of municipal integrity officers, and engagement in regional trial monitoring to combat organised crime and corruption in the wider Western Balkans region. We also highly value the Mission’s continued engagement on countering terrorism, including your capacity building on conducting effective online monitoring – helping to safeguard North Macedonia’s national security interests.

Ambassador Wahl, we are again pleased to see the Mission’s continued focus on gender, and welcome the Mission’s progress on mainstreaming a gender perspective into programmatic work. Your report highlights some excellent initiatives, such as training and mentorship programmes for female police officers to strengthen their skills for future leadership roles, the Mission’s efforts to analyse the gender aspects of corruption, and your support to the drafting of North Macedonia’s new Gender Equality Law. We commend the Mission’s continued engagement on gender issues, and encourage a sustained focus in the coming year.

Mr Chair, I would like to take this opportunity to also recognise the role of the Mission to Skopje in supporting North Macedonia in delivering its priorities as OSCE Chair-in-Office in 2023, including in the delivery of events such as the Skopje Conference on Addressing Anti-Semitism, in February.

The UK reiterates our strong support for North Macedonia’s priorities and continued efforts as Chair, including towards agreeing a Unified Budget for 2023 – which remains essential to the effective running of all field operations and institutions. You can rely on the continued support of the UK in addressing these shared challenges.

Thank you, Ambassador Wahl. Thank you, Mr Chair.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 20 April 2023.

Ambassador Bush voices strong UK support for the Geneva International Discussions (GID) as well as for Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 20 April 2023.

Canadian Ambassador Jocelyn Kinnear gives a statement on behalf of four OSCE participating States on prosecution and imprisonment of Vladimir Kara-Murza.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 20 April 2023.

Ambassador Bush welcomes the OSCE’s co-operation with the Council of Europe, an important institution to the UK’s foreign policy agenda.

Thank you, Mr Chair. On behalf of the UK, I warmly welcome you, Secretary General Buric, back to the Permanent Council. Thank you for outlining your priorities at the Council of Europe and your collaboration with the OSCE. The Council of Europe is, and will continue to be, important to the UK’s human rights and foreign policy agenda.

The promotion of human rights, rule of law, and democracy across our region and beyond characterises the longstanding and steadfast relationship between the OSCE and the Council of Europe. These common principles continue to define our shared ventures in Vienna and in Strasbourg.

Both the OSCE and the Council of Europe face a series of common challenges this year. To make progress together we should continue to recognise each organisation’s merits and distinctiveness – working in a coordinated way to engage the unique sets of tools.  The Council of Europe and the OSCE continue to share much common ground, including work on electoral reform; media freedom; anti-trafficking; anti-corruption; protection of national minorities; counter terrorism; inclusive education and protecting cultural heritage.

Today we meet at an especially challenging time for European Security. As President Putin’s unprovoked and illegal war against Ukraine goes on, we continue to see reports of violations of international human rights law and of international humanitarian law by Russia’s forces. Every day we see reminders that the common principles and commitments on which our organisations are founded are being transgressed. The launch of the Council of Europe’s Ukraine Action Plan 2023-26 underscores the international community’s united support for Ukraine.

The Council of Europe’s fourth Summit of Heads of State and Government next month provides a welcome opportunity to re-affirm and promote our shared commitment to democracy, human rights and the Rule of Law and to demonstrate solidarity with Ukraine. The UK will engage fully in the proceedings, including by calling for strong support for Ukraine, a united response to Russia’s aggression, and strengthening multilateralism in Europe.

Secretary General Buric – in the face of war in Europe and regression of human rights and fundamental freedoms across the region, the work of the Council of Europe and the OSCE remains of the upmost importance. The UK is, and will remain, a steadfast supporter of this work and looks forward to working with the Council of Europe and the OSCE throughout 2023 and beyond.

Thank you, Mr Chair.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 20 April 2023.

Ambassador Bush says there can be no impunity for war crimes and other atrocities, such as Russia’s attacks against civilians and critical civilian infrastructure.

Thank you Mr Chair. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is a violation of international law, including the UN Charter, and has shown blatant disregard for OSCE principles. This statement will focus on Russia’s failure to adhere to international law, including international humanitarian law. The same laws that Russia helped to create and to which it voluntarily signed up.

Two Moscow Mechanism Reports, ODIHR’s Interim Reports, and weekly statements at this Council have documented a clear pattern of human rights abuses and violations of international law. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights said last month, “severe violations” of international humanitarian law have become “shockingly routine” in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. I will focus today on three specific areas of international law: safeguarding civilians; the treatment of prisoners of war; and protection of places of worship.

Firstly, as Russia is well aware, international humanitarian law prohibits attacks that do not distinguish between military and civilian targets. It also forbids the infliction of suffering, injury, or destruction not actually necessary for military purposes. Attacks like the one on the residential buildings in Sloviansk on Saturday, which reportedly left at least 15 civilians dead – including a two-year-old – and at least 24 others injured. And attacks like the one in Suihurivka, on Orthodox Easter Sunday, which reportedly killed two teenagers.

We also condemn the ongoing attacks and endangerment of critical civilian infrastructure. The recent landmine explosions near the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) are a reminder of the potentially severe consequences for nuclear safety and security. We support the International Atomic Energy Agency’s efforts to help strengthen nuclear safety and security in Ukraine, including the Director General’s leadership on efforts at the ZNPP.

Secondly, as Russia knows, under international humanitarian law, all prisoners of war should be treated humanely. They should be afforded appropriate medical treatment and basic necessities, and be protected from humiliating and degrading treatment. We welcome the exchanges last week of over 300 prisoners of war between Ukraine and Russia. We are appalled by the recent video, which appears to depict Russian forces executing a prisoner of war. Executing prisoners of war is a war crime.

We also call on Russia to immediately release all illegally detained persons, including the Special Monitoring Mission national staff. These individuals remain detained simply for carrying out their official duties, mandated by all participating States including Russia.

And thirdly, international humanitarian law provides extra protection to places of worship and other cultural property. Attacks like the ones on Orthodox Easter Sunday, on three churches in the suburbs of Zaporizhzhia, Dnipro and Kherson. As the governor of Dnipro oblast said, it seems that “nothing is sacred” for the Russian armed forces.

Mr Chair, we need accountability, not more lies, disinformation and destruction from the Kremlin. No matter what the Russian leadership says, obligations under international humanitarian law are non-negotiable. G7 Foreign Ministers reasserted our position earlier this week: there can be no impunity for war crimes and other atrocities, such as Russia’s attacks against civilians and critical civilian infrastructure. We remain committed to holding those responsible to account, including through support to the International Criminal Court.

Mr Chair, the Russian force’s barbarity has only strengthened Ukrainian resolve and UK support. The way to end this war remains simple. Russia must withdraw all Russian forces and equipment from Ukraine immediately and unconditionally. Those responsible for violations of international law must be held to account. We will not forget. We will not tire. We will support Ukraine for as long as it takes to achieve a just and lasting peace. Thank you Mr Chair.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 19 April 2023.

On the fifth anniversary of the April 2018 pro-democracy protests in Nicaragua, the UK calls upon the Nicaraguan Government to reinstate democracy, re-establish the rule of law, and restore respect for human rights.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 19 April 2023.

Statement by Ambassador Kariuki at the Security Council meeting on the situation in the Great Lakes region.

Thank you, President. I will focus on the situation in eastern DRC and regional processes to end the conflict.

The United Kingdom remains deeply concerned by intensifying violence and the deteriorating humanitarian situation in the Great Lakes region, particularly in eastern DRC. We strongly condemn the continuing violence by all armed groups, including the UN-sanctioned M23 armed group. In the limited areas from which they have withdrawn, the horrors perpetrated by M23 are gradually being exposed, with allegations of mass rapes and summary killings.

The redeployment of resources to tackle M23 has also undermined the protection of civilians elsewhere. There have recently been horrifying accounts of executions and attacks on civilians by the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) and CODECO. We call for comprehensive investigations into allegations of human rights and international humanitarian law abuses by armed groups and for those responsible to be held accountable. All support to these non-state armed actors must stop.

President, we reiterate our full support for regional diplomatic efforts, including the Nairobi and Luanda processes, which promote de-escalation and aim to create the conditions for lasting peace in the region. We are making a financial contribution to the Nairobi process to this end. We urge all parties to respect commitments made under these processes, including the withdrawal of M23, to end of all support of armed groups, and to stop the use of incendiary hate speech. We welcome Special Envoy Xia’s support to these processes and encourage increased engagement as the conflict worsens.

We welcome M23’s handing over of some locations to the EAC Regional Force, but any withdrawal must be complete and in line with the agreed process through the Luanda roadmap. We hope the forthcoming Angolan troop deployment will help reinforce this withdrawal.

President, there is only one way out of this conflict. The violence must stop to give dialogue and peace a chance to succeed. The United Kingdom calls upon countries in the region, members of this Council, and Special Envoy Xia to intensify efforts to de-escalate the situation, improve regional cooperation, address security challenges, improve humanitarian access, and bring peace to the Great Lakes region.

Thank you.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 19 April 2023.

Martin Niblett, Head of FCDO Modern Slavery Team, says UK is committed to supporting a new Global Commission on Modern Slavery to inject political momentum at this critical time.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 19 April 2023.

Justin Addison (UK delegation to the OSCE) highlights the effect of biodiversity loss on peace and prosperity, exacerbated by Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine.

Thank you, Chair; good morning colleagues; and thank you to all the speakers for their presentations.

As we have heard from the panellists and my fellow delegates biodiversity loss threatens not only the natural world but also the security and prosperity of all our societies. Of the challenges identified in the UK’s Integrated Review, climate change and biodiversity loss are recognised as the most serious multipliers of global threats such as food and water insecurity, displacement of people, conflict, and economic instability. And these multipliers are only set to worsen over the next decade.

Nowhere is this threat more apparent than in Ukraine, where President Putin’s illegal invasion is devastating the country’s biodiversity. We heard Mr Fedorenko provide some details earlier about biodiversity loss in Ukraine. Ukraine is home to 35% of Europe’s biodiversity; many of its 70,000 species of fauna and flora are rare and endemic. Rather than preserving this rich ecosystem, Russia is destroying it.

Deliberate shelling of the country’s forests, land and marine ecosystems, industrial facilities, and infrastructure has caused widespread and severe damage. Wanton destruction of wetlands threatens fish species and migratory birds. Forests are littered with destroyed military vehicles, whilst forest fires are leading to the loss of ancient woodlands. Overall, an estimated 900 protected natural areas have been affected. Many of these issues are transboundary, with the environmental impacts felt beyond Ukraine’s borders for decades to come.

While the immediate focus of any conflict is rightly on human casualties, we are grateful to the OSCE, Ukraine’s government, and civil society for ensuring environmental impacts are not forgotten. We are pleased to support the OCEEA’s project to assess the environmental impacts of the war against Ukraine.

More widely, the UK is committed to working with the OSCE and other international partners to champion delivery of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework to halt and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030. And we will support delivery of the “30by30” target to protect at least 30% of all land and 30% of the ocean globally by 2030. We are also delivering on our commitment to double our International Climate Finance to £11.6 billion, including at least £3 billion on Nature.

Mr Chair, the 2020s must be a decade of climate and nature action. Our common security and prosperity depend upon it.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 19 April 2023.

Mr Rob Fenn has been appointed His Majesty’s Ambassador to Nepal in succession to Ms Nicola Pollitt who will be transferring to another Diplomatic Service appointment.

Mr Fenn will take up his appointment during July 2023

CURRICULUM VITAE

Full name: Robert Dominic Russell Fenn

Spouse: Julia Fenn

Children: Two