Tag: Foreign Office

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

The UK has sanctioned 7 Russian cyber criminals through coordinated actions with the US government.

• seven Russian nationals have assets frozen and travel bans imposed
• ransomware is a tier 1 national security threat, with attacks against businesses and public sector organisations increasingly common. Recent victims include UK schools, local authorities and firms – whilst internationally the Irish Health Service Executive, Costa Rican government and American healthcare providers were targeted
• new campaign of concerted action is being coordinated with the US, after 149 British victims of ransomware known as Conti and Ryuk were identified by the National Crime Agency (NCA)

Seven Russian cyber criminals have today (Thursday 9 February) been sanctioned by the UK and US in the first wave of new coordinated action against international cyber crime. These individuals have been associated with the development or deployment of a range of ransomware strains which have targeted the UK and US.

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said:

By sanctioning these cyber criminals, we are sending a clear signal to them and others involved in ransomware that they will be held to account.

These cynical cyber attacks cause real damage to people’s lives and livelihoods. We will always put our national security first by protecting the UK and our allies from serious organised crime – whatever its form and wherever it originates.

Ransomware criminals specifically target the systems of organisations they judge will pay them the most money and time their attacks to cause maximum damage, including targeting hospitals in the middle of the pandemic.

Ransomware groups known as Conti, Wizard Spider, UNC1878, Gold Blackburn, Trickman and Trickbot have been responsible for the development and deployment of: Trickbot, Anchor, BazarLoader, BazarBackdoor as well as the ransomware strains Conti and Diavol. They are also involved in the deployment of Ryuk ransomware.

The ransomware strains known as Conti and Ryuk affected 149 UK individuals and businesses. The ransomware was responsible for extricating at least an estimated £27 million. There were 104 UK victims of the Conti strain who paid approximately £10 million and 45 victims of the Ryuk strain who paid approximately £17 million.

Conti was behind attacks that targeted hospitals, schools, businesses and local authorities, including the Scottish Environment Protection Agency.  The group behind Conti extorted $180 million in ransomware in 2021 alone, according to research from Chainalysis.

Conti was one of the first cyber crime groups to back Russia’s war in Ukraine, voicing their support for the Kremlin within 24 hours of the invasion.

Although the ransomware group responsible for Conti disbanded in May 2022, reporting suggests members of the group continue to be involved in some of the most notorious new ransomware strains that dominate and threaten UK security.

Security Minister Tom Tugendhat said:

We’re targeting cyber criminals who have been involved in some of the most prolific and damaging forms of ransomware. Ransomware criminals have hit hospitals and schools, hurt many and disrupted lives, at great expense to the taxpayer.

Cyber crime knows no boundaries and threatens our national security. These sanctions identify and expose those responsible.

A wide range of organisations have been targeted by ransomware criminals, including at least 10 schools and universities in the UK, as well as hospitals, a forensic laboratory and local authorities. The Government of Costa Rica was also targeted last year.

Ireland’s Health Service Executive were targeted by ransomware actors during the COVID pandemic, leading to disruption to blood tests, x-rays, CT scans, radiotherapy and chemotherapy appointments over 10 days.

Another recent ransomware attack included Harrogate-based transportation and cold storage firm Reed Boardall whose IT systems were under attack for nearly a week in 2021.

These sanctions follow a complex, large-scale and ongoing investigation led by the NCA, which will continue to pursue all investigative lines of enquiry to disrupt the ransomware threat to the UK in collaboration with partners.

National Crime Agency Director-General Graeme Biggar said:

This is a hugely significant moment for the UK and our collaborative efforts with the US to disrupt international cyber criminals.

The sanctions are the first of their kind for the UK and signal the continuing campaign targeting those responsible for some of the most sophisticated and damaging ransomware that has impacted the UK and our allies. They show that these criminals and those that support them are not immune to UK action, and this is just one tool we will use to crack down on this threat and protect the public.

This is an excellent example of the dedication and expertise of the NCA team who have worked closely with partners on this complex investigation. We will continue to deploy our unique capabilities to expose cyber criminals and work alongside our international partners to hold those responsible to account, wherever they are in the world.

UK and US authorities will continue to expose these cyber criminals and crack down on their activities. This announcement of sanctions against 7 individuals marks the start of a campaign of coordinated action against ransomware actors being led by the UK and US.

The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), a part of GCHQ, has assessed that:

• it is almost certain that the Conti group were primarily financially motivated and chose their targets based on the perceived value they could extort from them
• key group members highly likely maintain links to the Russian Intelligence Services from whom they have likely received tasking. The targeting of certain organisations, such as the International Olympic Committee, by the group almost certainly aligns with Russian state objectives
• it is highly likely that the group evolved from previous cyber organised crime groups and likely have extensive links to other cyber criminals, notably EvilCorp and those responsible for Ryuk ransomware

NCSC Chief Executive Officer Lindy Cameron said:

Ransomware is the most acute cyber threat facing the UK, and attacks by criminal groups show just how devastating its impact can be.

The NCSC is working with partners to bear down on ransomware attacks and those responsible, helping to prevent incidents and improve our collective resilience.

It is vital organisations take immediate steps to limit their risk by following the NCSC’s advice on how to put robust defences in place to protect their networks.

Victims of ransomware attacks should use the UK government’s Cyber Incident Signposting Site as soon as possible after an attack.

Today, the UK’s Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI) are also publishing new public guidance which sets out the implications of these new sanctions in ransomware cases.

The individuals designated today are:

• Vitaliy Kovalev
• Valery Sedletski
• Valentin Karyagin
• Maksim Mikhailov
• Dmitry Pleshevskiy
• Mikhail Iskritskiy
• Ivan Vakhromeyev

Making funds available to the individuals such as paying ransomware, including in crypto assets, is prohibited under these sanctions. Organisations should have or should put in place robust cyber security and incident management systems in place to prevent and manage serious cyber incidents.

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

Ian Stubbs says that giving Ukraine the support it needs to push Russia out of its sovereign territory is the swiftest and only path to peace.

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

Deputy Ambassador Deirdre Brown thanks the three OSCE Committee chairs for their proposals to focus on Russia’s unprovoked and illegal invasion of Ukraine in 2023.

Thank you, Chair, and thank you to the Chairs of the three Committees for presenting to the Permanent Council today. Ambassadors, we support the approaches you have proposed. Russia’s unprovoked and illegal invasion of Ukraine strikes at the very core of the obligations we have all freely signed up to as members of this organisation. It has created a humanitarian and human rights catastrophe, traumatised a generation of children and created a global food and energy crisis. Russia’s war must continue to command our full attention.

Ambassador Stoian, we welcome your appointment and proposed work-plan, particularly your focus on the protection of critical infrastructure, the impact of cyber-attacks, organised crime, border security and management, and the role of and impact on women and children in the conflict cycle. We fully support your approach to assess the current security environment and maintain a flexible agenda to take into account the evolutions of Russia’s premeditated and barbaric actions against Ukraine.

Ambassador Raunig, we welcome your proposed work-plan and in particular the inclusion of sessions on environmental degradation, biodiversity, water management, connectivity, food security, corruption, and energy security. All these issues have been affected by Russia’s on-going aggression – and must be addressed in that context.

We recognise the importance of the adoption of the Permanent Council decision necessary to begin the Economic and Environmental Forum cycle and we urge all delegations to agree to the draft circulated by the Chairpersonship.

Ambassador Callan, we welcome your appointment and proposed work-plan, in particular your focus on civil society, which can serve to reinforce the strong relationship the Human Dimension Committee has built with human rights defenders across the OSCE region. The topics freedom of the media, democratic institutions and freedom of assembly are also welcome, and provide ample opportunities to explore the link between internal repression of citizens’ rights and external aggression. We look forward to the Chair-in-Office’s Supplementary Meetings this year complementing and reinforcing the work of the Human Dimension Committee. We note the importance of having a space to discuss violations and abuses of International Humanitarian Law and International Human Rights Law, including those documented in the Moscow Mechanism reports in 2022, which show no signs of abating this year.

Across the board, we welcome all attempts to ensure the full, equal, and meaningful participation of women. A more diverse range of opinion will improve the content of any discussions.

Mr Chair, Russia chooses to continue its path of aggression and destruction. The response from the international community has been consistent: a call for an end to the aggression; and for peace. We will continue to work in the three Committees, with our Chair-in-Office, and with the OSCE Secretariat, institutions, and field missions – to uphold our fundamental principles and values. For Ukraine, and for all of us in this room.

Thank you.

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

The UK’s Permanent Representative to the WTO in Geneva, Ambassador Simon Manley, gave a statement on 8 February 2023 during Malaysia’s 8th WTO Trade Policy Review.

Chair, let me warmly welcome the delegation of Malaysia to Geneva here today, led by our friend, Datuk ISHAM ISHAK, Secretary General of the Ministry of International Trade and Industry. It’s great to have you all with us today!

Let me also thank the government of Malaysia and indeed the WTO Secretariat for their Reports. And the Secretary General for his very thorough presentation of Malaysia’s macro-economic policy this morning.

Chair, may I echo your comments to our distinguished Discussant, and very good friend, Ambassador Acarsoy, and offer our condolences to him, and indeed to all our friends at the Turkish Mission, for this appalling humanitarian tragedy which is unrolling before our eyes in both Turkiye and Syria.

As he knows, British search and rescue experts arrived last night in southeast Turkiye and indeed the Union flag flew at half-mast at our Embassy and Consulates across Turkiye yesterday. As a multilateral community, of which we are a part, these tragedies do remind us of the need for us to come together. As the Malaysian national motto says, ‘unity is strength’.

So returning to the business of this review let me start by commending Malaysia’s strong and resilient economic growth, which the Secretary General set out this morning. And of course that growth has been enabled by its openness. I was glad to read in that the World Bank report rates Malaysia as one of the most open economies in the world – a secret of its success in many ways. Malaysia’s aspiration to become a high-income country, by the time of their next TPR in 2028, is already producing positive results under that ambitious Twelfth Malaysia Plan, based on those themes of resetting the economy, strengthening security, wellbeing and advancing sustainability.

As the Secretary General knows, Malaysia is the UK’s second largest trading partner in Southeast Asia – with total trade reaching almost £6bn in the first four quarters to Q3 of 2022 and British exports increasing by just under 18% in the last year. We are also really pleased to have established a UK-Malaysia Joint Committee on Bilateral Trade and Investment Cooperation back in 2020, to promote trade and investment between our two great nations, and to demonstrate our ongoing commitment to the Indo-Pacific region.

That initiative was upgraded to a Ministerial-led Joint Economic Trade Committee just last November. We look forward to continuing to build economic cooperation between our countries under this Committee, as well as more broadly through our new dialogue partner status in ASEAN.

We are also pleased to stand as Malaysia’s ninth largest foreign investor, with a strong corporate footprint in Malaysia with over 200 British companies investing in a wide variety of sectors across the economy. Education is at the heart of our relationship. There are five UK university branch campuses in Malaysia, as well as tens of thousands of young Malaysians attending schools and university in the UK, and we stand ready to support Malaysia’s ambition to become a regional education hub. And let me just mention in that respect, the now very famous Syabira Yusoff, a young Malaysian who came to study in the UK for a PhD and who las year achieved great fame in our country for winning the ‘Great British Bake-Off’.

We are also delighted that Malaysia has invested so significantly into the UK, with inward investments in 2020 valued at £780 million, representing an increase of almost 230% from the year before.

And, of course, our flourishing bilateral ties also extend here to Geneva. We are grateful for Malaysia’s active participation and engagement in the Investment Facilitation for Development, MSME and E-commerce Joint Initiatives. Through these initiatives, we share a common commitment to delivering for global businesses and global consumers. In this context, let me join others in encouraging Malaysia to consider joining the initiative on Services Domestic Regulation, where businesses, particularly in the developing world, are set to benefit by up to $150bn globally per year.

More broadly, our governments are working together on critical modern issues such as climate and forced labour. Indeed, my UN Deputy Permanent Representative is in Kuala Lumpur this week discussing human rights issues, among others, with our Malaysian partners.

Net-zero planning and green energy are shared priority issues for the UK and Malaysia on green trade, as highlighted by the Secretary General’s comments this morning. Indeed we in the UK established our own net-zero and energy department just yesterday. We signed the UK-Malaysia Climate Partnership MoU in July 2022, supporting greater technical assistance and knowledge sharing, and we will continue to work with government departments and agencies at all levels in support of those shared climate goals.

On forced labour, we really welcome Malaysia’s ratification of the ILO’s Forced Labour Convention last year and remain committed to working together to deliver our shared goal of ending modern slavery and coercive labour practices. We continue to support Malaysia’s work to deliver its National Action Plan through exchange of expertise and engagement across government, civil society and business.

Also commendable is Malaysia’s engagement in Trade & Gender, an issue very dear to the heart of my Minister, as Minister for both Business and Trade and Equalities, with clear efforts being made in Malaysia’s 2022 budget for women-led MSMEs and a specific commitment in the Twelfth Malaysia Plan to ensure further opportunities for female entrepreneurs and access to decision-making roles.

But, of course, there is always more we can do to strengthen our bilateral relationship.

In our Advance Written Questions, the UK sought to understand more about Malaysia’s trade policies and practices regarding government procurement, government-linked companies and tendering provisions, sustainable manufacturing practices, and excise duties.

We particularly encourage Malaysia to continue opening its legal services sector, including business services, to competition and to investment and to view this, as we do, as a realisable economic benefit. The opening of legal services will, in our view, support Malaysian corporations that are seeking to globalise and require specialist legal advice in Malaysia, and should promote the development of Malaysia into a legal hub within ASEAN.

Chair, we are grateful to Malaysia for their written responses and look forward to continuing to work together to address these important issues. And we are grateful to the whole team from Kuala Lumpur for being here with us today, and we wish Malaysia a successful Trade Policy Review and continuing success in progressing their Twelfth Malaysia Plan, with the UK, I hope, as a close partner too.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 8 February 2023.

The UK will provide vital items such as tents and blankets to help survivors cope with the freezing conditions, as part of its immediate response to the crisis.

• immediate extra support will help save lives and prevent suffering
• package to include thousands of tents, blankets and hygiene kits
• world-class UK surgical team and equipment will help address urgent medical needs
• 77 strong UK search and rescue team already on the ground helping to find survivors

The UK government is today (Wednesday 8 February) announcing further support to Turkey and Syria following the devastating earthquakes. The UK will provide vital items such as tents and blankets to help survivors cope with the freezing conditions, as part of its immediate response to the crisis. The equipment being urgently deployed from the UK’s stockpile will meet the needs of up to 15,000 people.

The UK is also providing a world-class team of UK medics with surgical capabilities and equipment to provide vital emergency treatment.

The announcement comes in the critical 72 hours following the first earthquake. The support will be used to urgently provide life saving interventions to those who need it most in the region as temperatures plummet.

The UK is coordinating closely with the Turkish government and United Nations (UN) in Syria to ensure our support meets the needs on the ground and that we can stay responsive to emerging needs in the coming days.

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said:

The UK is sending life saving kit to Turkey and Syria. This will include vital medical expertise and hygiene kits and also tents and blankets to help people keep warm and sheltered in the terrible freezing conditions they are having to endure on top of the devastation of the earthquakes.

Our priority is to ensure life saving assistance is given to those most in need, coordinated with the Turkish government, UN and international partners.

The UK is prioritising what the Turkish government and UN are asking for. The additional support will save lives by bringing world-class UK expertise and equipment to the region.

This £8 million of additional support comes after a team of 77 UK search and rescue specialists, equipment and four search dogs arrived in Gaziantep yesterday to begin their life saving operations.

Their specialist skills and state-of-the-art heavy duty equipment will allow the UK team to cut their way into buildings and locate survivors in the rubble during this vital time.

The government remains in contact with British humanitarian workers in the affected areas, and we stand ready to assist any British nationals affected.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 8 February 2023.

Ms Sarah Cooke has been appointed British High Commissioner to Bangladesh in succession to Mr Robert Chatterton Dickson.

Ms Sarah Cooke has been appointed British High Commissioner to the People’s Republic of Bangladesh in succession to Mr Robert Chatterton Dickson. Ms Cooke will take up her appointment during April/May 2023.

Curriculum vitae

Full name: Sarah Catherine Cooke

Year	Role
2020 to present	FCDO, Head, South East Asia Department
2016 to 2020	Dar es Salaam, British High Commissioner
2012 to 2016	Department for International Development (DFID), Head, Bangladesh Office
2010 to 2012	DFID, Head, Growth and Resilience Department
2007 to 2010	DFID, Head, Aid Effectiveness and Accountability Department
2005 to 2007	DFID, Team Leader, International Division Advisory Department
2004 to 2005	DFID, Deputy Head, Commission for Africa Secretariat
2003 to 2004	FCO, Senior Energy Adviser, Aviation, Energy and Maritime Department
2002 to 2003	Cabinet Office, Deputy Director, Prime Minister’s Strategy Unit
2000 to 2001	Ministry of Trade, Foreign Trade Adviser (ODI Fellow) Guyana
1999 to 2000	Ministry of Commerce, Adviser (ODI Fellow), Solomon Islands
1996 to 1999	PricewaterhouseCoopers, Economic Consultant

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 8 February 2023.

The Foreign Secretary has unleashed a new round of sanctions on Kremlin elites and entities providing military equipment such as drones.

The Foreign Secretary has today (Wednesday 8 February) unleashed a new round of sanctions on Russian military and Kremlin elites.

In total the UK’s sanction package hits 6 entities providing military equipment such as drones for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, as well as 8 individuals and 1 entity connected to nefarious financial networks that help maintain wealth and power amongst Kremlin elites.

The announcement comes as President Zelenskyy arrives in the UK today to meet the Prime Minister and visit Ukrainian troops. The leaders will discuss a two-pronged approach to UK support for Ukraine, starting with an immediate surge of military equipment to the country to help counter Russia’s spring offensive, and reinforced by long-term support.

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said:

Ukraine has shown Putin that it will not break under his tyrannical invasion. He has responded by indiscriminately striking civilian areas and critical national infrastructure across the country.

We cannot let him succeed. We must increase our support.

These new sanctions accelerate the economic pressure on Putin – undermining his war machine to help Ukraine prevail. I am determined, consistent with our laws, that Russia will have no access to the assets we have frozen until it ends, once and for all, its threats to Ukraine’s territorial sovereignty and integrity.

Today’s sanctions target organisations that Putin’s military relies on to maintain its illegal invasion of Ukraine. They are:

• CST, a manufacturer of Russian drones which have been used to destroy Ukrainian combat vehicles.
• RT-Komplekt who produce parts for helicopters used by Russia in its assault on Ukraine.
• Oboronlogistics who organise the transportation and delivery for Russian military equipment.
• Universalmash and Lipetsk, who manufacture or modify the tracked chassis for anti-aircraft missile systems used by Russia’s armed forces in Ukraine.
• Topaz, a software company involved in military aviation.

These designations, alongside the unprecedented trade measures implemented by the UK and international partners, continue to undermine the Russian military complex – causing shortages in critical components that Russia needs to sustain its assault on Ukraine and hampering military capabilities for years to come.

A group of those connected to Putin through opaque financial networks have also been targeted in today’s sanctions. These Kremlin elites owe their positions of power and authority to Putin – enjoying personal riches and oversight of state owned industries as a thanks for their allegiance.

IT services company Moscoms LLC has been sanctioned. The company acts as a nexus for the Russian elite, providing host domains to many involved in destabilising Ukraine. This includes LLCinvest.ru, which is connected to 86 companies within Putin’s web that are worth a total of £3.7 billion. The ‘LLCInvest’ domain is also used by the organisation that owns the ‘Shellest’, a yacht linked to Putin and used regularly for travel to his palace.

Also included within today’s package are 5 individuals connected to Putin’s luxury residences, including the 100 billion rouble ‘Putin’s palace’ and Putin’s lakeside Dacha. This includes:

• Boris Titov –  Presidential Commissioner for Entrepreneur’s Rights, which he was awarded after purchasing 740 acres of vineyards on the grounds of the palace.
• Nikolay Egorov –  Until recently, Deputy Chairman of the largest privately owned oil refinery in Russia.
• Sergey Rudnov –  the owner of pro-Kremlin news outlet Regum.
• Svetlana Krivonogikh – a shareholder in Bank Rossiya and the National Media Group, who consistently promote the Russian assault in Ukraine.
• Viktor Myachin – Owner of Aerostart, a Russian aircraft maintenance and repair company.

By consolidating wealth and power into his network, Putin is also able to extend his reach into industries across Russia. Also sanctioned today are:

• Alexey Repik – the Chairman of the Board of R-Pharm, a Russian pharmaceutical company which received funding from the Russian Direct Investment fund. Repik has reportedly had four meetings with Putin in the last year, and owns the jet M-FINE, which is used by Putin’s daughter.
• Evgeny Shkolov, a former presidential aide and Deputy Chairman of the Board of Directors for JSC System Operator of the Unified Energy System.
• Pavel Titov – President of Delovaya Rossiya, an association that represents entrepreneurial interests and was set up by his father, Boris Titov.

The UK has sanctioned over 1,300 individuals and entities since Putin began his full scale invasion, as well as unprecedented trade measures co-ordinated with international partners.

Over £20 billion of trade in goods is now under full or partial sanction, and exports of machinery and transport equipment have decreased by 98% – forcing them to desperately scrounge sub-par semiconductors from fridges and dishwashers to build military equipment.

Through maximising economic pressure on Russia, providing £2.3 billion in military aid and £1.5 billion in economic and humanitarian support, the UK will continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with Ukraine until they can secure peace.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 8 February 2023.

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly will visit Italy and Malta to discuss how to accelerate support for Ukraine and discourage illegal migration.

• working with our European friends to accelerate support for Ukraine and tackle illegal migration are the Foreign Secretary’s top priorities during the visit
• in Rome, James Cleverly joins Defence and Trade Secretaries for the annual UK-Italy ‘Pontignano’ civil society forum
• UK to sign enhanced cooperation agreement with Malta

Stopping illegal migration and accelerating support for Ukraine will be top of the agenda during Foreign Secretary James Cleverly’s 3-day visit to Italy and Malta (8 to 10 February).

There will also be a focus on bolstering relations between the UK and the 2 countries, as the Foreign, Defence and Trade Secretaries all join the annual UK-Italy Pontignano forum and a new UK-Malta Bilateral Cooperation Framework is signed.

As Ukrainians enter their second year living under relentless and full-scale Russian bombardment, Cleverly will galvanise European support for Ukraine.

In Rome, the Foreign Secretary will lay out the UK’s ambition to deepen defence and security ties with the new Italian government as we accelerate efforts to support Ukraine. This will build on the Global Combat Air Programme announced between the 2 countries, and Japan, in December 2022, which will develop sixth-generation air fighter jets.

Cleverly and Italian Foreign Minister Tajani will also discuss how the UK and Italy can work more closely together to discourage migrants from travelling to and around Europe illegally, including through joint-work in countries of origin and transit routes through Europe.

In Valletta, he will encourage the Maltese government to use their seat in the United Nations Security Council to stand up for the international rules-based order at a time when it is being threatened by Putin’s illegal actions in Ukraine – and encourage Malta to remain steadfast in its support to Ukraine, alongside other international partners. The Foreign Secretary will welcome the support Malta has provided to Ukraine so far, including vital medical assistance to Ukrainian soldiers, and the provision of generators and protective equipment.

Looking ahead to the visit, Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said:

Italy and Malta are seen as gateways to Europe for many hundreds of thousands of desperate people seeking refuge from conflict and persecution. However, it is important that we stop illegal migration and criminal smuggling gangs, and instead ensure there are safe and legal routes.

Over the next 3 days, I will discuss with my Italian and Maltese counterparts exactly how we tackle the problems of illegal migration that affect all our countries.

We will also discuss how we accelerate support for Ukraine over the coming months by providing military, humanitarian and economic assistance.

Europe’s response to Russia’s barbaric attack on Ukraine has taken the Kremlin by surprise. Where Putin expected to sow division, he has instead fostered greater unity between nations.

The UK and our European partners will ensure Ukraine wins the war and protect our collective peace and security.

Malta is part of the Commonwealth family, and whilst there the Foreign Secretary will visit Villa Guardamangia, the former home of HM Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip. Cleverly will also pay tribute to murdered journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia and meet her family.

He will also join his Malta’s Foreign Minister Borg in signing an agreement – the Bilateral Cooperation Framework – outlining the UK’s commitment to boost ties in trade, defence and culture and intensify our work on the rule of law.

Alongside his programme in Rome, the Foreign Secretary will meet Archbishop Paul Gallagher, the Holy See’s Secretary for Relations with States.

The Foreign Secretary will join the 30th edition of the Pontignano forum – the annual flagship event on UK-Italy relations. The UK Defence and Trade Secretaries will also take part in the event.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 7 February 2023.

Media stakeout by UN Security Council Members:Albania, Ecuador, France, Japan, Malta, Switzerland, the United States, and the United Kingdom.

Today, the Security Council discussed the latest report from the OPCW’s Investigation and Identification Team (IIT) on the use of chemical weapons in Syria. The IIT has concluded that there are reasonable grounds to believe that the Syrian Arab Republic was responsible for the 2018 chemical weapon attack in Douma, which killed 43 men, women and children and affected dozens more.

We welcome this report as an important and necessary step in establishing the truth about the horrific 2018 attack on Douma. We commend the efforts of the investigation teams and acknowledge the bravery and contributions of the first responders, witnesses and all those who participated in the international investigation.

We also express our full support for the impartial, independent and professional work of the OPCW and its Technical Secretariat, who have worked tirelessly over the years on the Syria file.

This is the ninth independent impartial expert finding on the basis of sufficient and reliable bodies of information that the Syrian Arab Republic was responsible for the use of chemical weapons, and yet we are still no closer to accountability for the perpetrators or justice for the victims. This report should be a further step towards accountability and justice for the victims of these attacks.

Failure to hold those who violate the Chemical Weapons Convention to account signals to others that these attacks are acceptable. Impunity for the use of chemical weapons, by anyone, in any circumstances, cannot and will not be allowed.

As Under-Secretary-General for disarmament affairs and OPCW Director General have made clear in their many reports and briefings to the Council, including during today’s meeting, Syria’s initial and subsequent declarations to the OPCW cannot be considered accurate and complete.

This lack of assurance of the destruction of Syria’s chemical weapons stockpiles and the ongoing failure of Syria to implement its obligations under the CWC and UNSCR 2118 poses an ongoing threat to international peace and security. Syria remains in violation of its commitments under the Chemical Weapons Convention, despite its accession in 2013. Syria is still in breach of its obligations under UNSCR 2118, which was unanimously adopted by the Council in 2013.

So, today, we call on Syria, yet again, to remove any obstacles and cooperate fully with the OPCW and fulfil its international obligations under the Chemical Weapons Convention and UNSCR 2118.

We will not give up until we have assurance from the OPCW that Syria has taken the actions necessary to exclude completely the possibility of the use of chemical weapons anywhere, at any time, under any circumstances.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 7 February 2023.

A plane carrying 77 UK search and rescue specialists, equipment and four search dogs, has arrived in Gaziantep, Turkey to support the earthquake response.

• Plane carrying a team of 77 UK search and rescue specialists, equipment and four search dogs arrived in Gaziantep today
• UK’s world-class specialist skills and state-of-the-art search equipment will help locate survivors in the rubble of the earthquakes
• British Embassy in Ankara and consulates lower their flags to half-mast as a mark of respect to those who lost their lives

Today (Tuesday 7 February) a UK team of 77 search and rescue specialists, 4 search dogs and rescue equipment arrived in Gaziantep in south east Turkey to join the emergency response.

An Emergency Medical Team were also on the flight. They will conduct a full assessment of the situation on the ground.

The UK government is immediately providing the support requested by the Turkish government. The UK will continue to assess the situation and stands ready to provide further long-term assistance as needed.

The UK International Search and Rescue team is made up of firefighters and staff from 14 fire and rescue services from across the country, including experts from England, Scotland and Wales. They will be using specialist search equipment including:

• Seismic listening devices;
• Concrete cutting and breaking equipment; and
• Propping and shoring tools.

Their world-class specialist skills and state-of-the-art heavy duty equipment will allow the UK team to cut their way into buildings and locate survivors in the rubble during this vital time.

The team is self-sufficient upon arrival and provides its own food, water, shelter, sanitation, communications and all necessary equipment to undertake search and rescue operations.

In solidarity with the Turkish people, the British Embassy in Ankara and Consulates across Turkey have lowered their flags to half-mast for the 7-day national mourning period declared by the Turkish government.

In north-west Syria, the UK-funded White Helmets continue to carry out a significant search and rescue response and have mobilised all their resources to respond to emerging needs. The UK has given the White Helmets £2.25 million in the last year and an additional funding uplift of £800,000 for front line search and rescue operations.