Tag: Foreign Office

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 14 November 2022.

Statement by Ambassador James Kariuki at the Security Council briefing on the situation in the Central African Republic.

Thank you, President.

The United Kingdom welcomes the renewal of MINUSCA’s mandate and thanks France for its efforts as penholder to reconcile differing views of Council members.

Delegations made difficult compromises.

The United Kingdom is disappointed by the loss of agreed Responsibility to Protect language. But we maintain that the Government of the Central African Republic remains primarily responsible for the protection of all civilians from genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity, and that this issue will remain a key factor in future conversations.

This mandate renewal takes place in a difficult political and security context, and MINUSCA itself is facing significant challenges. But the Mission retains a key role in helping to build long-term peace in the Central African Republic. And while we recognise the views expressed by our A3 partners and welcome recent overall reductions in violations of the Status of Forces Agreement, we remain deeply concerned by night flight restrictions imposed by the government.

Such restrictions limit MINUSCA’s ability to implement its mandate and jeopardise the safety and security of peacekeepers and of civilians. We support new language in the mandate to address this critical issue. And we call on the authorities to ensure MINUSCA’s freedom of movement, with unhindered and immediate access throughout the territory of the Central African Republic, including by air and at night, as set out in the Mission’s Status of Forces Agreement.

President, with this mandate MINUSCA can continue to provide effective support to long-term stability in the country. It is now up to the government to deliver on their stated commitments: to protect civilians and human rights; to take definitive steps on the peace agreement; and to uphold MINUSCA’s freedom of movement.

Thank you.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 14 November 2022.

A new agreement between the Governments of Montserrat and the United Kingdom comprises a protection against exchange rate fluctuations for the UK’s contribution to Montserrat’s annual recurrent budget, and new capital investments for essential equipment.

Recurrent Budget support

• The recent fluctuations in exchange rate and continued pressure on the cost of living has meant a reduction in real terms to the cash value of the UK’s support for Montserrat’s recurrent budget.
• In recognition of this, the UK Government has agreed to an uplift of up to £4.72m to ensure that Montserrat is protected for the rest of this financial year from currency exchange impacts; to enable continued delivery of public services for the people of Montserrat.
• This will enable the delivery of essential services which otherwise would have been at risk.
• However, there is still a need to prioritise spending in what are challenging economic times.

Governor Sarah Tucker expressed her thanks to the FCDO and UK Government for offering this much needed additional support to Montserrat during these exceptional times.

Referring to the budget support, Honourable Premier, Joseph Farrell said:

On behalf of the government and people of Montserrat I wish to express my sincere thanks to the FCDO and the United Kingdom Government for providing the additional funds towards our 2022/23 financial aid package, these monies will allow the government to continue providing essential services to the people on island.

Capital support

• The UK Government has agreed to provide an additional £3 million of funding for essential equipment.
• Specifically, this money will provide a foam fire engine for the airport, a new two megawatt generator to provide greater resilience to the Montserrat Utilities Limited’s (MUL) energy provision across Montserrat, and additional health service support including a CT scanner, 3D mammography unit, oxygen generator, emergency room and incubator equipment, and a medical incinerator. Procurement work will be completed by the end of this financial year.

Her Excellency the Governor, Sarah Tucker, said:

This new additional support will enable a more resilient power source, whilst we continue to develop greener energy alternatives, ensure our fire officers have the equipment they need to keep us safe, and, very importantly, bring forward the ability to offer CT scans and mammography here in Montserrat, enabling faster diagnosis and therefore faster more effective care.

Deputy Director of the Overseas Territories Directorate, Adam Pile, said:

This additional funding demonstrates the UK Government’s continued commitment to Montserrat, I am delighted that additional support has been provided for capital equipment and that we are able to protect Montserrat from the exchange rate volatility this year. Credit is due to the Financial Secretary and her team for all of their continued hard work and support.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 14 November 2022.

Statement by Ambassador James Kariuki at the Security Council briefing on UN Peacekeeping Operations.

Thank you President. My thanks here to Under-Secretary-General Lacroix, and to all our briefers for the presentations today. And let me take the opportunity to thank all our UN Police forces for their essential work in sometimes really tough conditions.

I am pleased today’s discussion is focusing on A4P and A4P+. UN Police have an important role to play in delivering whole-of-mission approaches to these reform priorities. So I will focus on the areas covered by the two Police Commissioners – protection of civilians and performance.

First, I thank Commissioner Fossen for her invaluable insight into implementing a protection of civilians mandate in UNMISS. We can sometimes forget when talking about Protection of Civilians how important unarmed approaches are. Of course, it is only part of the picture, and both armed and unarmed activity complement each other. We must consider the full range of tools to prevent and respond to civilian threats.

Peacekeepers need not only to protect civilians from physical violence, but provide a protective environment, and the space for mediation and dialogue. UNPOL are uniquely placed for this task. They are often the first and the last to meet with the local population during any intervention or response to a crisis. They need to establish strong relationships with those populations founded on trust.

Secondly, President, on performance. I thank Commissioner Berethe for speaking to this point in the MONUSCO context. Operating in any mission environment has its challenges, but MONUSCO is arguably one of the most challenging, as demonstrated by increased violence directed toward the Mission in recent months.

The UK welcomes the ongoing implementation of the Integrated Peacekeeping Performance and Accountability Framework and of CPAS to monitor and evaluate performance and review progress against mandate implementation. Better performance means better missions.

For UNPOL to operate and perform at its best, it needs to deliver the full range of policing roles it is mandated to fill. This should include capacity-building and development efforts of host-State police and justice and corrections institutions.

In line with the findings of the 2016 External Review of UNPOL, there could be more focus on institution building and specialist capabilities, not simply the number of personnel deployed. It is these skills that support sustainable peace and restoration of the Rule of Law.

Finally Mr President, our briefers and many speakers today have underlined the importance of the contribution UNPOL makes to the Women, Peace, and Security agenda. The UK strongly supports this, and welcomes the progress made to date.

We look forward to continuing to work together to strengthen UNPOL to deliver on its full potential. I thank you.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 14 November 2022.

The world faces acute food and nutrition challenges. Conflict, climate change and the lasting impacts of COVID-19 are having devastating effects on local and global food systems and the people who rely on them. Russia’s unprovoked aggression against Ukraine has significantly worsened these challenges and vulnerabilities.

The European Union, the United States of America and the United Kingdom, alongside other G7 members and our international partners, are at the forefront of global efforts to address food insecurity that is affecting millions of vulnerable people in developing countries, whilst also driving up living costs in our own countries.

We have always been clear that the target of our sanctions is Russia’s war machine and not the food or fertiliser sectors. To that end, we have provided clarity to industry and partners. This includes the UK’s publication of a General Licence, the US General Licence 6B; as well as updated and detailed EU guidance . These provisions make clear that banks, insurers, shippers, and other actors can continue to bring Russian food and fertiliser to the world.

We call on our global partners, and on the actors, industries and services involved in agricultural trade, to take note of these provisions; to act in accordance with them; to bring Ukrainian and Russian food and fertiliser to meet acute demand; and to continue to advance the accessibility of food to all.

We reiterate our call on all countries to demonstrate their support for the Black Sea Grain Initiative. We call on the parties to the Initiative to extend its term and scale up its operations to meet the evident demand. And we reiterate our support for other efforts by the United Nations to facilitate access to food and fertiliser in global markets.

Overall, we are united in our commitment and resolve to address food insecurity. We are working to meet humanitarian needs, keep food and fertilisers moving, provide emergency funding, improve resilience, and to accelerate the transition to sustainable food systems to withstand future challenges. We are taking action alongside partners to mobilise the international community, including through the UN-led Global Crisis Response Group (GCRG) on Food, Energy and Finance, the G7 Global Alliance for Food Security (GAFS), the Roadmap – Call to Action and the EU-led Solidarity Lanes.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 14 November 2022.

The UK and international partners have announced coordinated sanctions on Iranian officials who are leading the violent repression of protests in Iran.

Protests continue across Iran following the tragic death of 22 year old Mahsa Amini, in the custody of Iran’s so-called Morality Police, who were sanctioned by the UK on 10 October. The Iranian authorities have responded to the protests with violence, reportedly killing hundreds and injuring thousands of others.

The Foreign Secretary has announced the UK will designate Communications Minister Issa Zarepour and a range of local law enforcement and Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) officials who have been involved in and ordered the crackdown on protests.

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said:

These sanctions target officials within the Iranian regime who are responsible for heinous human rights violations.

Together with our partners, we have sent a clear message to the Iranian regime – the violent crackdown on protests must stop and freedom of expression must be respected.

The Iranian people could not be clearer. It’s time for the regime to stop blaming external actors and start listening to the voices of their people.

Zarepour and Vahid Mohammad Naser Majid (chief of Iran’s Cyber Police) have been designated for shutting down the internet in Iran, including disabling Whatsapp and Instagram, and banning the use of the Google Play app and Virtual Private Networks (VPNs).

Their actions are part of a wider clampdown on freedom of expression in Iran which has included the arrest and detention of more than 40 journalists and Iranian girls being sent to ‘psychological centres’ for protesting for their right to choose what to wear, according to regime officials.

22 other Iranian political and security officials are designated today in response to the continued brutal violence aimed at protestors, in provinces including:

• Sistan and Baluchestan – On 30 September, over 80 people were reportedly killed in the city of Zahedan. Today the UK has sanctioned Ahmad Taheri (former chief of the Law Enforcement Force in Sistan and Baluchestan), Mahmoud Saadati (former chief of the Law Enforcement Force in Zahedan), Hossein Maroufi (deputy co-ordinator of mobilization of the IRGC in Sistan and Baluchestan), Ahmad Shafahi (commander of the IRGC Salman Corps in Sistan and Baluchestan) and Hossein Modarres Khiabani (governor of Sistan and Baluchestan).
• Kurdistan – Protests have been brutally cracked down across the province, including in the cities of Sanandaj and Mahsa Amini’s hometown of Saqqez. Today the UK has sanctioned Ali Azadi (chief of the Law Enforcement Force in Kurdistan), Ali Reza Moradi (chief of the Law Enforcement Force in Sanandaj), Ali Sayd Safari (chief of the Law Enforcement Force in Saqqez), Abbas Abdi (chief of the Law Enforcmeent Force in Divandarreh), Sereng Hossein Rajabpour (Basij commander in Bijar), Morteza Mir Aghaei (Basij commander in Sanandaj), Esmaeil Zarei Kousha (governor of Kurdistan) and Sardar Seyed Sadegh Hosseini (senior commander of the IRGC in Kurdistan).
• Tehran – At Sharif University in Tehran, Iranian security services used live rounds and tear gas against students, barricading them inside the university building. Today the UK has sanctioned Hossein Rahimi (chief of the Law Enforcement Force in Tehran) and Hasan Hassanzadeh (senior commander of the IRGC in Tehran)

These sanctions will ensure that the individuals on the list cannot travel to the UK and any of their assets held in the UK will be frozen.

The UK has already designated a number of high-ranking security and political figures, as well as the Morality Police, for their roles in protests in Iran.

The Foreign Secretary also summoned the Iranian Chargé d’Affaires last week to make clear that the UK does not tolerate threats from foreign nations against individuals here.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 14 November 2022.

• The support will help with essential repairs to critical energy infrastructure following ongoing Russian attacks,and will reconnect households and key facilities to power supply.
• The UK is the largest donor to the Fund so far, along with sending hospital generators and a financial guarantee for Ukraine’s state-owned energy provider.

Ukraine will have further UK support to keep the lights on across the country and repair energy infrastructure damaged by Russian attacks, Foreign Secretary James Cleverly announced today.

The UK is so far the biggest donor to the Ukraine Energy Support Fund. This latest funding will provide specialised energy equipment to keep critical national infrastructure up and running – a priority request from the Government of Ukraine.

Since October 2022, Russia has carried out widespread missile and drone strikes, particularly targeting Ukraine’s power supplies. More than 40% of Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, including transmission lines, power stations and pipelines, has been damaged or destroyed by Russian attacks. This has left millions of Ukrainians across the country living without electricity or experiencing rolling blackouts.

Recently the UK has also provided £7 million for over 850 generators so that vital facilities, such as hospitals, have power and a further £5 million for safety and security equipment for the civil nuclear sector. In addition, the UK has put up a $50 million guarantee for financing for Ukraine’s state-owned energy provider, Ukrenergo, through the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development which will help Ukraine continue to supply electricity to its citizens.

The Foreign Secretary is due to sign the agreement today with Ukrainian Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko, alongside Energy Community Secretariat Deputy Director Dirk Buschle, to transfer the first £5 million of the UK’s £10 million commitment to the Energy Community’s Ukraine Energy Support Fund.

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said:

Russia’s attacks on vital infrastructure show that Putin is resorting to desperate measures. But even in the face of missile attacks and blackouts, the resolve of the Ukrainian people remains unbroken.

The Government of Ukraine said it needed specialised energy equipment to repair critical national infrastructure, and the UK is delivering on their request.

The UK has made the largest donation to date to this Fund. We need all partners to step up their support and show Putin that his attempts to destroy Ukraine will be met with fierce resistance.

Ukrainian Minister of Energy Herman Halushchenko said:

Russia is trying to break us by shelling the energy infrastructure to leave Ukrainians on the eve of winter without heat and light. These days the support of international partners is more important than ever.

UK has been helping Ukraine’s energy sector since the beginning of the Russian invasion. Today it is making a significant contribution to the Energy Support Fund.

This will make it possible to purchase the necessary equipment for our energy companies, which is difficult to do as a part of humanitarian aid.

Many thanks to our British partners and the Energy Community Secretariat for the help in the fight against Russia on the energy front.

The private sector also has an important role in supporting Ukraine’s reconstruction. That’s why the Business and Energy Secretary Grant Shapps is issuing a call to action to UK industry today to consider supplying emergency energy equipment, such as power generators, transformers, and cables-wires and connectors.

Business and Energy Secretary Grant Shapps said:

We cannot stand by and watch millions of innocent Ukrainian citizens continue to suffer due to barbaric Russian air strikes. Today’s intervention from the UK Government will be critical in helping to get Ukraine’s power back up and running.

But this alone simply won’t suffice. In Ukraine’s hour of need, I call on the generosity of the UK industry to join the Government in donating emergency energy equipment and resources through the Energy Support Fund. This will help rebuild what has been damaged by Putin’s illegal invasion as we continue to stand with the people of Ukraine.

The Department for International Trade is also working with relevant UK trade associations and Ukrainian energy companies to identify areas where UK expertise and equipment can be provided to help with vital maintenance of Ukraine’s energy supply infrastructure.

The Director of the Energy Community Secretariat, Artur Lorkowski, said:

With hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian families without electricity, heating and hot water as winter sets in, support to Ukraine is needed more than ever. The Ukraine Energy Support Fund is a transparent and efficient vehicle for international donors seeking to help Ukraine repair and rebuild its energy infrastructure which has been brutally damaged by Russia.

The donation of the United Kingdom is a great show of solidarity and will bring essential aid to Ukraine by allowing the purchase of much needed tools and critical equipment needed to restore essential electricity and gas services to Ukrainian citizens.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 14 November 2022.

• The UK is again contributing to the Global Fund to help fight three of the deadliest diseases around the world
• The UK’s funding will save lives through prevention of and treatment for HIV, tuberculosis and malaria and strengthening health systems
• The UK remains the third largest ever donor to the Global Fund

New UK aid support to the Global Fund will help fight AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria around the world, Minister for Development Andrew Mitchell announced today (Monday 14 November).

As a founding supporter of the Global Fund, the UK is its third largest ever donor, having contributed £4.4 billion since its inception. The Global Fund has saved 50 million lives since it was set up by the G7 in 2002.

In 2021 alone, the Global Fund provided 23 million people with lifesaving antiretroviral therapy for HIV and 5.3 million with TB treatment and care. It also treated 148 million cases of malaria and helped distribute 133 million mosquito nets to protect families from malaria.

The UK is providing £1 billion over 3 years to the Global Fund, which will help save more than one million lives around the world and pay for interventions to help a much larger number of people stay safe.

From this new commitment:

• 2 million people with HIV will receive antiretroviral therapy
• More than 1 million people will receive TB treatment and care
• 86 million mosquito nets will be distributed to protect children and families from malaria
• Over 28 million new infections or cases across the three diseases will be avoided by diagnosing and treating those already infected to prevent further spread and supporting prevention services such as mosquito nets
• Health systems will be strengthened which will help with pandemic preparedness

Minister for Development Andrew Mitchell said:

The UK and others founded the Global Fund because we refused to accept the loss of millions of lives every year to preventable and treatable diseases.

Countries with better health systems and healthier people are more likely to be stable and prosperous and this fund gives hope and opportunity to millions who would otherwise suffer. Malaria kills a child nearly every minute of every day. These are wholly preventable deaths, and the UK is dedicated to preventing them.

Executive Director of the Global Fund Peter Sands said:

We are incredibly grateful to the United Kingdom for this renewed commitment to accelerate progress toward ending HIV, tuberculosis and malaria, and strengthening health and community systems everywhere.

Over the past 20 years, British taxpayer support has helped save 50 million lives. The UK’s new £1 billion pledge is instrumental to helping us save millions more lives, get back on track following the reversals from COVID-19, and strengthen global health security.

Pledges for the Global Fund are just one element of the UK’s efforts to strengthen global health. We are the largest donor to Gavi’s core mission to save lives and protect people by increasing access to vaccines and we hosted the CEPI replenishment this year which raised $1.5 billion to reduce vaccine development time.

Through innovative technology, the UK is harnessing new developments to boost global health in the long term. For example, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office has funded Liverpool-based Innovative Vector Control Consortium (IVCC) to create a new generation of bed nets, which kill mosquitoes resistant to traditional insecticides. To date, their innovations have averted an estimated 27 million malaria cases, especially in children.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 11 November 2022.

The Foreign Secretary today instructed the FCDO to summon Iran’s most senior diplomat following a series of serious threats against journalists living in the UK.

In recent years, the Metropolitan Police have contacted a number of UK-based journalists, having received credible information about a threat to their lives.

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said:

The UK will always stand up to threats from foreign nations. I summoned the Iranian representative today to make clear that we do not tolerate threats to life and intimidation of any kind towards journalists, or any individual, living in the UK.

The Iranian regime has responded to widespread internal protests with the suppression of freedom of expression and the targeting of media outlets operating in Iran. More than 40 journalists have been arrested and detained.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 11 November 2022.

1. Foreign Secretary James Cleverly MP and Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna held talks in Paris today, reaffirming the enduring and essential partnership between France and the United Kingdom. On the occasion of Armistice Day, they reflected on their countries’ shared history and sacrifice.

2. The Ministers looked forward to the ambitious bilateral Summit to be held in France in early 2023. They underlined the importance of cooperation in addressing global and bilateral challenges:

• On climate change and biodiversity loss, both countries will support international efforts under Egyptian and UAE Presidencies, mainstream and increase urgent climate ambition across broader multilateral processes.
• They agreed to cooperate to secure energy supplies and accelerate their clean energy transition, especially by supporting the development of offshore wind power. They reaffirmed the importance of reducing the rise of energy prices and the G7 Oil Price Cap. The Ministers committed to increase bilateral civil nuclear cooperation and welcomed good progress towards reaching an investment decision for the Sizewell C nuclear power plant project.
• On illegal migration, they stressed the urgency of tackling all forms of illegal migration including small boats crossings and addressing their root causes. They welcomed progress made towards a significant new UK-France agreement and in this respect the conclusion of an ambitious package as soon as possible. The Ministers agreed to reinforce cooperation with near neighbours, including through an early meeting of the Calais group.

3. They underlined their determination to provide Ukraine with the political, military, humanitarian and economic support it needed to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity and to enhance its resilience for the coming winter and beyond. They deplored the global impact of Russia’s actions and underlined their commitment to mitigate the consequences for the most vulnerable. They agreed to coordinate preparations for the respective upcoming international conferences on civilian resilience and recovery. They reaffirmed their unwavering commitment to the fight against impunity.

4. The Ministers committed to strengthening cooperation in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific and coordinate responses to the systemic challenges posed by an increasingly assertive China, while remaining ready to work with China on global challenges such as climate change. France and the UK will press China, as permanent member of the UNSC, notably with regard to the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine, to uphold its responsibilities in the UN, on Ukraine and human rights.

5. On Iran, they condemned Iran’s violent repression of legitimate peaceful protests and Iran’s support for Russia’s illegal war in Ukraine, including through drones used for indiscriminate targeting of civilians and civilian infrastructure. They condemned Iran’s destabilising activities in and around the Middle East, including transfers of UAVs and missiles and pledged to reinforce international cooperation to counter these activities. The Ministers reiterated their clear determination that Iran must never acquire a nuclear weapon and their deep concerns at its insufficient cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 11 November 2022.

Canadian Ambassador Jocelyn Kinnear stresses that the Belarusian authorities have intensified the brutal and unprecedented repression of the Belarusian people.

Mr. Chair, I am delivering this statement on behalf of Albania, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lichtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Montenegro, the Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Ukraine, the United States, and my own country Canada.

Two years ago, on 5 November 2020, Professor Wolfgang Benedek presented the independent report on the human rights situation in Belarus under the OSCE’s Moscow Mechanism to the Permanent Council. The conclusions were clear: The 9 August presidential election was neither free nor fair, and “massive and systematic” violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms had been committed by the Belarusian security forces.

One year ago, on 4 November 2021, as a response to the deteriorating human rights situation and the Belarusian authorities’ failure to respond satisfactorily to the recommendations addressed to them in the Moscow Mechanism report, a group of 35 OSCE participating States invoked the Vienna (Human Dimension) Mechanism requesting information on a number of serious concerns. Unfortunately, one year later, we today note with regret that the recommendations for Belarusian authorities in the Moscow Mechanism report remain unaddressed, and our concerns for the human rights situation in Belarus are more dire than ever.

Over the past two years, the authorities in Belarus have continued their brutal and unprecedented crackdown on defenders of democracy in Belarus, including civil society and independent voices. The exercise of human rights and fundamental freedoms, including the freedoms of expression, peaceful assembly, and association, is severely repressed, and those attempting to act on those rights and freedoms are systematically detained, abused, and subjected to other forms of intimidation and only harassment. According to credible reports, the number of political prisoners is now more than 1,350. This includes many ordinary Belarusians who simply protested in 2020; journalists, media actors, opposition figures, and human rights defenders, sentenced in some cases to well over a decade simply for exercising their fundamental rights. As a consequence, tens of thousands of Belarusians have been, and continue to be, forced to flee the country, to leave their homes and in some cases loved ones behind due to the untenable situation.

In addition, several credible, international reports have documented the continued pervasive use of torture and other ill-treatment. The Belarusian authorities have further increased harassment and intimidation efforts by widening of the scope of the death penalty to vaguely defined “attempted terrorist activities”. This is an alarming step, the real objective of which is to further increase repression against defenders of democracy. Mr. Chair, In the initial letter invoking the Vienna Mechanism on 4 November 2021, we asked for information from the Belarusian authorities on a number of concerns, including on the credible reports on continuing unjust arrests and detentions, as well as the targeting of opposition figures. The Belarusian Delegation’s reply did not acknowledge our legitimate concerns on any of these issues; for example, the Belarusian Delegation simply took exception to the term ‘political prisoner’.

The inadequate responses we have continued to receive from the Belarusian authorities, combined with the deteriorating developments we have witnessed over the past year, clearly demonstrate there is no change in approach by the Belarusian authorities.

On the contrary, in recent months, the Belarusian authorities have intensified the brutal and unprecedented repression of the Belarusian people, and has on top of that been facilitating Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine in violation of international law.

Mr. Chair,

Even as the human rights situation in Belarus has continued to deteriorate, the Belarusian Delegation has often claimed to seek dialogue on these issues here in the Permanent Council. The Vienna Mechanism is a tool for such dialogue, but it requires the Belarusian authorities to engage substantially, realistically and honestly on the subject. It requires the Belarusian authorities to recognise our legitimate continuing concerns, which mirrors those of civil society, independent media, and human rights defenders.

Against this backdrop, we repeat our questions raised under the OSCE Vienna Mechanism in the Permanent Council. We encourage the Belarusian authorities to consider these questions carefully and to provide genuine answers to this Council, including a detailed explanation of their reactions to the recommendations contained in the 5 November 2020 report under the OSCE Moscow Mechanism.

Finally, we call for the immediate and unconditional release of all political prisoners in Belarus. We urge the Belarusian authorities to fully implement their international obligations and OSCE commitments, and to make use of the OSCE’s tools and mechanisms to help resolve the continuing human rights crisis.

Thank you.