Tag: Foreign Office

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 30 September 2022.

Statement by Ambassador James Kariuki at the UN Security Council meeting on the Nord Stream gas pipeline.

I’d like to thank our briefers for setting out what we know so far about this case, which is still clearly very limited.

Once again in this chamber, we have heard some absurd Russian claims and conspiracy theories this afternoon.

Russia’s request for this meeting was a cynical attempt to distract from President Putin’s illegal annexation of Ukrainian territory today.

The damage to the Nordstream 1 and Nordstream 2 pipelines in the Baltic Sea is of deep concern.

These leaks are not only causing risks to shipping but also substantial environmental damage in the Baltic Sea. They are releasing enormous amounts of methane into the earth’s atmosphere.

We agree with the assessment that all currently available information indicates this damage is the result of sabotage. We strongly support the investigations by Denmark, Sweden and Germany.

Intentional damage to civilian infrastructure is reckless and irresponsible, wherever it takes place. We must establish clear international norms that such damage is utterly unacceptable.

For NATO’s part, as set out in yesterday’s statement of the North Atlantic Council, Allies remain committed to prepare for, deter and defend against any hybrid tactics by state and non-state actors including coercive approaches to energy.

We are clear that any deliberate attack against Allies’ critical infrastructure would be met with a united and determined response.

The UK will continue to work alongside our partners to protect Europe’s energy security.

Thank you, President.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 30 September 2022.

The fifth Atlantic Future Forum (AFF) took place in New York Harbour, on board HMS Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier. At the business reception hosted by the GREAT Britain & Northern Ireland Campaign, Welsh mezzo soprano Katherine Jenkins, the UK’s biggest selling classical artist of the century and GREAT Ambassador, performed against the New York skyline alongside the Royal Marines Band.

The audience of over 500 distinguished high-profile business and political figures included Dame Karen Pierce, Britain’s Ambassador to the United States, Kemi Badenoch, the UK’s Secretary of State for International Trade, and Anne-Marie Trevelyan, Secretary of State for Transport for the UK.

The AFF is a conference hosted by the Royal Navy and led by the Department for International Trade. It brought senior politicians, business leaders, innovators, entrepreneurs, and military leaders from both sides of the Atlantic to tackle the biggest issues facing the world.

Both the AFF and GREAT celebrate the United Kingdom’s special relationship with the United States – as exemplified by Katherine’s rendition of both nations’ anthems at the beginning of her performance.

Katherine says, > As a proud Welsh woman and Brit, it was wonderful to sing on board HMS Queen Elizabeth II in such an iconic setting. With family now on both sides of the pond, I loved seeing the UK and the US coming together in this truly amazing way.

The GREAT Campaign is delighted to return to New York, building on the success of its earlier GREAT Calling New York Campaign. GREAT Calling saw the campaign partner with dynamic UK companies and famous faces to deliver events on sport, music, food and AI, inviting US audiences to ‘See Things Differently’ and to see a fresh side of the UK.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 30 September 2022.

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

Thank you Mr President,

I thank SRSG Keita and Professor Mudinga for their briefings. We commend SRSG Keita and MONUSCO for their continued efforts in what is increasingly challenging and sometimes deadly circumstances. I also thank the Representative of Gabon for his briefing on the behalf of the 1533 Committee and I welcome the participation of the representatives from the DRC, Rwanda and Burundi in this meeting.

I will focus on the security and humanitarian situation in eastern DRC, regional efforts, and MONUSCO.

The United Kingdom remains deeply concerned by the security situation in eastern DRC. The redeployment of resources to tackle M23 has undermined the protection of civilians and created a vacuum that armed groups, like the Allied Democratic Forces, have exploited. We again call for the withdrawal of M23 from their current positions.

Since 2017 UK funding has provided over 2.5 million people with humanitarian assistance in the DRC. We urge all actors to address humanitarian impacts of the violence, ensuring those affected, including the 1.29 million newly displaced this year, receive the assistance they need.

President, we condemn recent violent protests against MONUSCO, which undermine its ability to implement its mandate, including civilian protection. We call on MONUSCO and the Government of DRC to engage in a structured dialogue which clarifies roles and responsibilities for a responsible, conditions-based drawdown of MONUSCO.

A military solution alone cannot bring peace. A credible and legitimate political process needs to be the foundation of any lasting settlement. Diplomatic efforts and dialogue through existing regional processes should continue, to help de-escalate tensions and end violence in the East.

Whilst military pressure has a role, it is important that international and domestic efforts complement, rather than contradict each other. The East African Community Force and DRC Armed Forces must substantively engage with MONUSCO on de-confliction of forces to ensure the protection of civilians, safety of peacekeepers and effectiveness of operations.

Implementation of the Government of DRC’s Demobilization, Disarmament, Community Reintegration and Stabilization Programme (P-DDRCS) should be accelerated to ensure willing armed groups are disarmed, to protect civilians, and bring stability to the East. We call on MONUSCO to continue supporting P-DDRCS to overcome internal coordination issues and agree appropriate fiduciary arrangements to facilitate donor funding.

Finally President, as Professor Mudinga has reminded us, the DRC and the Congo Basin are central to tackling climate change. At COP26 in Glasgow, the UK committed £200 million to the Congo Basin Pledge and will become chair of the Central African Forests Initiative in June 2023.

Thank you.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 30 September 2022.

New services and goods export bans, targeted at vulnerable sectors of the Russian economy, have been announced by the Foreign Secretary today (30 September) in response to Russia declaring the illegal annexation of 4 regions of Ukraine – violating their territorial integrity and political independence.

Russian-installed officials in 4 temporarily-controlled regions of Ukraine have conducted sham referendums in an attempt to justify their illegal seizure of Ukrainian land. The Russian regime has now announced the illegal annexation of these regions against the will of the Ukrainian people and in flagrant breach of international law.

The UK is moving in lockstep with international partners to target key sectors of the Russian economy. The new measures will ramp up economic pressure on the Russian regime by targeting vulnerabilities and disrupting crucial supply chains.

Russia imports 67% of its services from sanctioning countries. Building on previous action, the UK will prevent Russian access to:

• IT consultancy services
• architectural services
• engineering services
• advertising services
• transactional legal advisory services
• auditing services

The UK has also sanctioned Elvira Nabiullina, the Governor of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation. In her role, Nabiullina has been instrumental in steering the Russian economy through the Russian regime’s illegal war against Ukraine and extending the ruble into the Ukrainian territories that are temporarily controlled by Russia. Nabiullina has been sanctioned and is personally subject to an asset freeze and travel ban.

The Foreign Secretary has instructed that the Russian Ambassador, Andrey Kelin, be summoned to the department, to protest in the strongest terms against the illegal annexation of sovereign Ukrainian territory.

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said:

The UK utterly condemns Putin’s announcement of the illegal annexation of Ukrainian territory. We will never recognise the results of these sham referendums or any annexation of Ukrainian territory.

The Russian regime must be held to account for this abhorrent violation of international law. That’s why we are working with our international partners to ramp up the economic pressure through new targeted services bans.

What happens in Ukraine matters to us all, and the UK will do everything possible to assist their fight for freedom.

Russia is highly dependent on Western countries for legal services with 85% of all legal services being imported from G7 countries – given London is an international legal centre, the UK accounts for 59% of these imports. The new legal advisory measures will cover certain commercial and transactional services and hamper Russia’s businesses’ ability to operate internationally.

IT consultancy services will also be banned, including designing IT systems and software applications. Alongside the UK’s previous ban on quantum computing exports and computing services, and with over 170,000 IT specialists fleeing Russia since the invasion began, these measures will erode further Russia’s ability to maintain technological development with the rest of the world.

The UK is also working with international partners to cut off Russia from our engineering services and architectural services. Russia imports 77% of these services from the G7 and today’s measures will severely debilitate the future growth of Russia’s key industries.

These measures will also prohibit Russia’s access to other world-class professional services, including auditing and advertising services. With estimates suggesting that 80% of Russian imports in accounting, audit, bookkeeping and tax consultancy come from the UK, EU and US, these measures will further disrupt and degrade the capability of Russian businesses to keep pace in the international market.

The export of almost 700 goods from the UK to Russia are also being banned. The list includes hundreds of goods that are critical for production in Russia’s manufacturing sector, with imports from the UK totalling over £200 million last year. In total, £19 billion worth of UK-Russia trade has been wholly or partially sanctioned, based on 2021 trade flows.

Finally, the UK will suspend the process by which actions taken to manage the orderly failure of Russian banks are recognised under the laws of the United Kingdom, in cases where the bank is a sanctioned entity. This will prevent those Russian actions from taking legal effect in the UK and potentially providing economic benefit to the Russian state.

Alongside today’s measures, the UK continues to work with the G7 to finalise and implement the proposed price cap on Russian oil.

Many businesses have already taken significant steps in condemnation of the Russian regime’s illegal invasion – 75% of foreign companies have responded to the invasion with 25% having fully withdrawn – a clear marker of international condemnation.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 30 September 2022.

A Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office spokesperson said:

The UK is deeply concerned by North Korea’s decision to carry out further ballistic missile tests on 29 September in violation of UN Security Council Resolutions.

We urge North Korea to refrain from provocations and take concrete steps towards complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearisation. Alongside our allies and partners, the UK is committed to peace on the Korean Peninsula, upholding the rules-based international system and securing an end to North Korea’s unlawful activities. We strongly encourage North Korea to return to dialogue with the US.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 30 September 2022.

Ms Saffienne Vincent-Neal highlights at OSCE’s Human Dimension Conference that independent media and journalists are essential to keep governments accountable.

Mr Chair, strong, independent media and journalists are part of the bedrock of democratic societies and are essential to hold governments to account. We support the vital work of ODIHR and the Representative on Freedom of the Media as an early warning mechanism when fundamental freedoms are challenged.

In times of war, the media’s role in providing timely and accurate information is even more important. As Ukraine liberates more territory, journalists expose the atrocities caused by Russia’s military aggression.

We are appalled by the findings of the Moscow Mechanism reports on Russia’s aggression in Ukraine. Journalists have been subjected to unlawful detentions, abductions, enforced disappearances and torture. At least 15 killed so far; with reports that hundreds more have been shelled, shot, or detained. In the parts of Ukraine temporarily controlled by Russia, the information space has been severely restricted. We share the condemnation by the UN and other international organisations of the cyber-attacks on Ukraine’s media and internet infrastructure.

The Moscow Mechanism report on Russia’s internal repression exposes a systemic and repressive war against the freedom of the Russian people. Propaganda, repressive legislation, and violence have created a climate of fear and intimidation. From 1992-2021 reportedly at least 58 journalists were killed in Russia for their work.

Since February, legislation has suppressed freedom to express dissent and criminalised the “discrediting” of Russia’s Armed Forces. How is this legislation and practice compatible with the human dimension obligations that Russia freely signed up to as an OSCE founding member? And, what message does this send? Be quiet or be persecuted.

As we have seen, most independent journalists and media outlets have left Russia or closed. The Russian government is isolating the Russian people from credible information, from the world outside of Russia’s borders. Those reporting accurately on Ukraine, face jail, including dual British-Russian national Vladimir Kara-Murza. As the Moscow Mechanism report clearly says, “this is military censorship”. We remind the Russian Government of the Milan Decision on Safety of Journalists in 2018, and urge them to comply with the 1991 Moscow Declaration which stressed the importance of protecting vulnerable groups in armed conflict, including journalists.

And we call for accountability – for Ukrainians persecuted in occupied territories and for Russians seeking simply to be able to tell the truth.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 29 September 2022.

Statement by Fergus Eckersley, UK Political Coordinator at the UN at the Security Council meeting on chemical weapons in Syria.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 29 September 2022.

Minister Docherty says the UK will never recognise the results of Russia’s sham referenda, nor any attempts to illegally annex Ukrainian territory.

Vladimir Putin’s sham referenda must be seen for what they are. A brazen and desperate attempt, to justify an unprovoked and illegal land grab, of sovereign Ukrainian territory.

They are a clear violation of international law and the UN Charter. And wholly illegitimate.

That is why the United Kingdom will never recognise the supposed results. Nor any Russian attempt to illegally annex Ukrainian territory.

We have seen Vladimir Putin use this playbook before, in Crimea. As then, Russia will try to claim that these latest votes were free and fair.

But no amount of Russian lies can hide what we all see plainly: A sham. A propaganda exercise. Without a shred of legitimacy. Conducted down the barrel of a gun, by soldiers accompanying ballots door-to-door, forcing Ukrainians to vote.

For 7 months, in an attempt to destroy Ukrainian identity, Vladimir Putin’s forces have ruthlessly used violence and torture against civilians – and forced deportations – to exert control.

Sham referenda held under such fear and harassment can never be free, nor fair.

As highlighted by my Foreign Secretary last week, we know Vladimir Putin planned to rig the outcomes. Russia has no choice but to fabricate the results. These regions voted overwhelmingly to join an independent Ukraine in 1991, and for President Zelenskyy in 2019.

Earlier this week, the United Kingdom announced sanctions against those behind these bogus votes, including 33 officials and collaborators deployed by Russia to conduct them.

This latest Russian deception, and Putin’s decision to partially mobilise Russia’s population, only serve to highlight one thing: his invasion is failing.

His war machine is depleted. His supply of volunteers willing to fight in Ukraine has been exhausted. Partial mobilisation will only send many more thousands of innocent Russians to die in Putin’s war-of-choice. A war which he could end right now.

Vladimir Putin’s nuclear threats are irresponsible and will not work. Ukrainians are highly motivated. The international alliance is cast-iron strong. We and our allies are clear that any use of nuclear weapons by Russia would be met with severe consequences.

The United Kingdom’s approach will not alter. We will be steadfast in support of Ukraine – and its right to defend its sovereign territory – for as long as it takes.

We call on all participating States to join us in unequivocally rejecting the results of these illegitimate referenda, and any Russian attempts to illegally annex Ukrainian territory.

If we allow Russia to change sovereign borders by force, then the core principles on which the OSCE was founded – of sovereign equality; the inviolability of frontiers; and respect for territorial integrity – lie in tatters.

And all of our borders become less secure.

This is about freedom and security for the people of Ukraine. But also about freedom and security across Europe and the World.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 29 September 2022.

UK Human Rights Ambassador, Rita French, delivered a statement on the cases of reprisals in Venezuela, Belarus, Burundi and China, calling on them to be ceased.

Thank you, Madame Vice President.

The United Kingdom welcomes the Secretary General’s report and its focus on the need to address the significant problem of reprisals against individuals co-operating with the UN. We reiterate the Report’s concerns on the continued targeting of women that seek to engage in peace and security processes.

As the #EndReprisals Campaign makes clear, the UN is the final arena in which individuals and entities promoting peace and justice can confront abuses. States present here today have a collective responsibility to ensure that the UN is a safe space for those that courageously come forward.

Madame Vice President, when human rights defenders or other members of civil society co-operate with the UN, they are helping us to achieve our collective mission. Reprisals damage the UN, and by extension, all Member States.

We are dismayed that cases of reprisals continue to be commonplace, including in Venezuela, Belarus and China. What makes this even more abhorrent is where reprisals take place in this Council. Members of this Council, who have been elected with the mandate that they will uphold the highest standards of human rights.

Madame Vice-President,

What can be done to address the chilling effect of reprisals on the valuable engagement by human rights defenders in UN processes?

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 29 September 2022.

Foreign Secretary Rt Hon James Cleverly MP is in Singapore today (29 September), for the first time since taking up the role, to underscore the UK’s partnership with Singapore, ASEAN and the Indo-Pacific region.

The Foreign Secretary will meet the Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister and his Singaporean counterpart, Foreign Minister Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, to launch a regional investment initiative and give a keynote speech on the UK’s approach to the Indo-Pacific.

Speaking from Singapore, Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said:

The links between the UK and Singapore are founded on our shared beliefs in free trade and international law and our strong commitment to the rules-based multilateral system.

Singapore is an important and strategic partner as well as a global, economic and political hub. I look forward to strengthening this partnership, working together to solve global challenges and creating sustainable prosperity in the UK, Singapore and the Indo-Pacific.

The Foreign Secretary will meet Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong to reaffirm the UK’s commitment to stronger bilateral ties with Singapore and discuss future cooperation on regional trade and security.

At the Milken Institute Asia Summit, the Foreign Secretary will deliver a speech outlining the UK’s outlook on the Indo-Pacific region.

The Foreign Secretary will meet Minister for Foreign Affairs Vivian Balakrishnan and outline the UK’s ambition to elevate the UK-Singapore relationship, reflecting the breadth and depth of shared interests. He will sign a MoU committing the UK and Singapore to work together on capacity and resilience building in the region.

He will meet Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and launch the new British Investment International (BII) Office, which will be at the core of the UK’s development finance institution’s Indo-Pacific expansion, recognising Singapore’s role as a global financial centre. BII’s plans to invest in green infrastructure will support climate resilience and a green economic transition in the region and bring us closer to Vietnam, Indonesia, Philippines, Cambodia and Laos.

Srini Nagarajan, Managing Director and Head of Asia, British International Investment said:

Our new Singapore office is a momentous step in BII’s history, which will play a significant role in our Indo-Pacific expansion and bring us closer to our focus markets of the Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos. We will invest in the renewables sector and partner with a network of investors to help these economies reduce emissions, protect the environment and adapt to the changing climate.

The Singapore visit will conclude his three-day visit to East Asia, during which the Foreign Secretary highlighted the UK’s deep interest in the Indo-Pacific region and took forward shared ambitions on trade and security.