Tag: Foreign Office

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 5 October 2022.

Statement by Ambassador Barbara Woodward at the UN Security Council briefing on North Korea

Thank you President and I also thank ASG Khiari for his informative briefing.

President, as we’ve heard, at around half-past seven on Tuesday morning, as commuters in Northern Japan were making their way to work, evacuation alerts sent people rushing to shelters. Public transport came to a halt as a ballistic missile, launched without warning by North Korea, flew overhead.

The threat to international peace and security presented by North Korea’s reckless and illegal ballistic missile tests could not be clearer. North Korea’s latest launch of an Intermediate-range ballistic missile violates multiple UNSCRs. We stand in solidarity with the people of Japan, and of states in the region threatened by this unacceptable behaviour.

This latest test is a serious escalation, but the broader trend is just as concerning. This year alone North Korea has launched 39 ballistic missiles; seven of which were launched in the last ten days.

We urge Council members to meet these violations with a firm and united response. North Korea has been emboldened by the Council’s inaction, and the use of the veto by two Council members. Diplomacy is the only route to sustained peace on the peninsula, but it is right that this Council continues to take appropriate, targeted measures to slow the pace of proliferation.

We again call on all member states to implement in full existing Security Council resolutions on North Korea. They are an essential part of efforts to counter the continued development of North Korea’s prohibited programmes.

Let me be clear too that Council sanctions are not targeted at the North Korean people. We fully support the delivery of humanitarian support to the most vulnerable and therefore call on North Korea to allow an independent assessment of the humanitarian situation, and to allow aid to flow freely into the country.

Joint statement by Security Council members condemning the DPRK’s long-range ballistic missile launch
Joint statement to the press delivered by Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield, Permanent Representative at the United States Mission to the United Nations on behalf of Albania, Brazil, France, India, Ireland, Japan, Norway, the Republic of Korea, the United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom
The United States, Albania, Brazil, France, India, Ireland, Japan, Norway, the Republic of Korea, the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom, strongly condemn the DPRK’s long-range ballistic missile launch which overflew Japan on October 4 and its seven other ballistic missile launches conducted since September 25. The DPRK has now launched over 35 ballistic missiles this year alone.

These launches violate multiple Security Council resolutions and pose a threat to not only the region, but to the entire international community.

The United States, and those who have joined me at the podium today remain committed to diplomacy and continue to call on the DPRK to return to dialogue. But we will not stay silent as the DPRK works to undermine the global nonproliferation regime and threaten the international community.

The DPRK made its intentions clear in April and September when its leader signaled an effort to accelerate the DPRK’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs and even alluded to pre-emptive use of nuclear forces. We are witnessing the DPRK’s pursuit of this objective.

We call on all UN Member States, especially Council members, to join us in condemning this reckless behavior and in urging the DPRK to abandon in a complete, verifiable, and irreversible manner its unlawful weapons programs and engage in diplomacy toward denuclearization. We also recall the Council’s decision in resolution 2397 referring to further significant measures.

We call on Member States to fully implement the relevant Security Council resolutions. Let us reaffirm that full implementation of the 1718 Committee mandate is necessary to effectively slow down and restrict the DPRK’s weapons advancements.

Following the DPRK’s provocations and escalatory behavior in 2017, the Council came together and unanimously took action to hold the DPRK accountable for its unlawful actions.

Now again the DPRK is testing the Council’s resolve and we must act accordingly.

 

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 5 October 2022.

Ian Stubbs (UK delegation to the OSCE) condemns Russian attempts to hide the truth of Putin’s appalling and failing illegal invasion of Ukraine.

Thank you Mr Chair. On 30th September, Putin announced the attempted illegal annexation of the Ukrainian regions of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia. The United Kingdom unreservedly condemns this outrageous and illegitimate act. It represents yet another attack on Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. We will never accept the regions of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia as anything other than sovereign Ukrainian territory.

Mr Chair, the announced attempted illegal annexation is just another act of desperation by a Russian leadership under pressure to fabricate a success to sell to their people as a price worth paying for the thousands of Russian service personnel who have been sent to their deaths to fight Putin’s illegal war of choice.

On 1 October, Russian forces in the Donetsk Oblast town of Lyman withdrew in the face of Ukrainian advances. Lyman is a significant loss for Russia. Militarily, it was Russia’s eastern logistics hub and also commanded a key road that crossed the Siversky Donets River behind which Russia was attempting to consolidate its defences. But the loss of Lyman is symbolically important for Russia too – situated within a region that Russia supposedly aimed to “liberate”; attempted to illegally annex; and that Putin promised would be Russian territory forever two days earlier. It is a clear demonstration of the stark mismatch between the Kremlin’s rhetoric and reality.

As Ukraine consolidates its advances further in the east and near Kherson in the south, it will become painfully apparent to the Russian people that Putin’s contrived fanfare of celebrations and concerts, which accompanied his announced attempts to illegally annex territory, were just part of another lie in his attempt to hide the disastrous truth of his appalling and failing illegal invasion of Ukraine.

Mr Chair, as we have all seen, the Russian people are already realising that the announced “partial mobilisation” is also part of that sham – a desperate attempt to turn the tide of a failed invasion by sacrificing ordinary Russian citizens. On 29 September, just over a week after the mobilisation was announced, President Putin addressed his National Security Council and admitted that “a lot of questions are being raised during this mobilisation campaign, and we must promptly correct our mistakes and not repeat them.” This rather quick public acknowledgement of problems highlights the dysfunction of the mobilisation over its first week. Including that local officials have almost certainly drafted many Russian citizens who are outside the announced scope of the mobilisation. Numerous images and video of chaotic mobilisation centres support Putin’s own assessment that his mobilisation is not going well.

Mr Chair, the mobilisation of these Russian citizens will not turn the tide of this war in Putin’s favour. The thousands of ordinary citizens sent to war – poorly trained, poorly equipped and poorly led – will not succeed where Russia’s professional army – with tanks, paratroopers and artillery – has already failed. And mobilisation is an admission that this is a war, you do not mobilise your population to fight a limited military operation, special or otherwise. You mobilise a population to fight a war – in this case Putin’s failing illegal war of choice.

Mr Chair, on 30 September, Russian forces almost certainly struck a convoy south-east of the town of Zaporizhzhia where local authorities report that 25 civilians were killed. The munition involved was likely a Russian long-range air defence missile being used in a ground attack role. We have unfortunately seen the use of high-value air-defence and anti-ship missile systems rerolled to strike ground targets, including civilians and civilian infrastructure before, such as the attack on the Kremenchuk shopping centre in June.

The strike on the convoy last week was an appalling, callous and cowardly attack at a location routinely used by civilians to assemble before travelling to areas of Ukraine under temporary Russian control to deliver aid and pick up relatives. That this strike happened on the same day President Putin signed the illegal annexation agreement for Zaporizhzhia and claimed that Russia would now protect those civilians is particularly deplorable.

The deliberate targeting of civilians is not only abhorrent, but also a blatant violation of international law. The atrocities we see being committed day after day will not be forgotten and those giving or following illegal orders will be held to account.

Mr Chair, Russia’s continued aggressive nuclear rhetoric and signalling is also irresponsible. It is designed to distract and deter us from supporting Ukraine. It achieves neither. We continue to call on Russia to de-escalate, starting by ceasing its assault on Ukraine and withdrawing its forces. We urge Russia to tone down its rhetoric regarding nuclear weapons. Russia should seek to reduce tensions and the risk of miscalculation, not increase them.

Mr Chair, the Russian Government’s attempt to redraw the map of Europe in blood, and conquer an independent and democratic State by force of arms is an attack on the security and freedom of Europe. The United Kingdom, along with many others, repeatedly warned that this would be a massive strategic mistake and would come at a severe cost.

Mr Chair, as exemplified by the visit of our Defence Secretary, Ben Wallace, to Kyiv last week; our support to Ukraine will remain steadfast until the sovereignty, territorial integrity, and independence of Ukraine is fully restored. The UK is one of the leading donors of military aid to Ukraine, committing £2.3 billion in 2022 and, as the Prime Minister announced at UNGA 77, this amount will be matched or exceeded in 2023. Just weeks ago we committed to donating more than 120 logistics vehicles in the latest tranche of gifted military equipment.

The UK has also trained more than 27,000 members of the Armed Forces of Ukraine since 2015, including over 5,500 of new recruits in the UK this year, with help from allies and partners. The training teaches troops key skills such as weapons handling, first aid, fieldcraft, patrol tactics, vehicle-mounted operations and trench and urban warfare, which will give them a crucial edge on the battlefield over Russia’s professional and mobilised soldiers.

The UK stands in solidarity with Ukraine, including through the ongoing provision of military assistance, as Ukrainians defend their homeland and fight for the simple right to a free, peaceful and prosperous future. Thank you.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 5 October 2022.

The UK Human Rights Ambassador, Rita French, delivered a statement on the ongoing situation on gender rights in Somalia.

Thank you Mr Vice President,

The United Kingdom thanks the Independent Expert and strongly supports the extension of her mandate. We welcome the peaceful conclusion of Somalia’s elections and the historic appointment of the first female Deputy Speaker. Regrettably, the 30 per cent quota for female representation was not met and delayed elections left little room for progress on human rights.

More broadly, we remain deeply concerned by persistent insecurity in Somalia and the cost in civilian lives; the marginalisation of displaced people, minorities and women; continuing sexual and gender-based violence; and restrictions on freedom of expression. A lack of accountability for perpetrators of human rights violations and abuses persists. The impending famine in the Baidoa and Burhakaba districts and the resulting increase in internally displaced persons compounds our concern.

We urge the Somali Government to strengthen the rule of law, tackle impunity, and enhance basic freedoms in Somalia by establishing a National Human Rights Commission and accelerating progress on pending legislation, particularly the Sexual Offences Bill, the Female Genital Mutilation Bill, and the Child Rights Bill. These are crucial to deliver the commitments made in the National Development Plan for 2020-2024. The UK stands ready to work with Somalia on this, and calls for the international community to do the same.

Ms Dyfan,

We welcome the continued engagement and cooperation of Somalia with this mandate.

Thank you.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 5 October 2022.

The UK’s Ambassador to the WTO and UN in Geneva, Simon Manley, delivered this statement at the 7th WTO Trade Policy Review of Mexico on 5 October 2022.

Chair, let me speak, for the first time at a TPR, on behalf of His Majesty’s Government and to welcome the Mexican delegation under the leadership of the Undersecretary of Foreign Trade, Luz María De La Mora. Thanks to the Mexican Federal Government and the WTO for their reports. Let me also thank the Chair and our distinguished Discussant, Clare Kelly for kindly facilitating this Trade Policy Review and providing us such an insightful basis for our discussions.

In our written questions for this Review, we were keen to gain a deeper understanding of Mexico’s regulatory framework in areas including Intellectual Property, domestic regulating bodies and agencies, the government procurement regime, Trade in Services, and SPS measures. This broad range of questions covering a panoply of themes is an indication of the range of opportunities available to Mexican and UK business from our accelerating bilateral trade.

Chair, this review includes a period of acute economic instability globally. WE are therefore pleased to welcome the positive steps which the Mexican Federal Government took to mitigate these shocks, notably through the expansion of digitisation services for administrative procedures for imports and agri-food exports.

It is encouraging that in periods of economic stress, actions such as these demonstrate that opportunities can be found, notably digital opportunities, which can accelerate best practice and improve the free trading environment. This also builds on previous efforts to reform customs procedures, as identified during Mexico’s last TPR, back in 2017.

In that TPR, the then Chair outlined in her concluding remarks Member’s concerns that Mexico’s trade was highly dependent on a single export market, noting that there was a need to diversify. During this review period, Mexico has indeed enacted some of the suggestions made to address this, including strengthening economic ties with different trading partners.

To this same end, the UK was pleased to sign a Trade Continuity Agreement (TCA) with Mexico which came into force on 1 June last year. We look forward to delivering our Factual Presentation to the Committee on Regional Trade Agreements next month

To realise the full potential of our trading relationship, Mexico and the UK launched negotiations in London on 20 May this year to secure a more modern and comprehensive bilateral FTA. As Mexico highlighted in its Report to this review, we have agreed on the modernisation of rules relating to investment and intellectual property, and the inclusion of innovative provisions relating to SMEs, gender and innovation, among others. We look forward to bringing this agreement to fruition as soon as we can and to our businesses making full use of the opportunities that the FTA should offer to grow their business and generate prosperity for British and Mexican citizens.

As others have noted, Mexico has also signed agreements with the United States, Canada, and the EU, and has signed the entry-into-force of the CPTPP. As the Secretariat recognises in its Report, these and other preferential trade agreements demonstrate the importance that regionalism plays in Mexico’s trade relations.

Back In 2017, Members also encouraged Mexico to join plurilateral agreements, notably the GPA. We would welcome Mexico’s indication of progress from Mexico with regards to this key plurilateral agreement.

Let me welcome Mexico’s support for the Inclusive Trade Action Group ITAG and Global Trade and Gender Arrangement (GTAGA), as well as its engagement in the WTO own Informal Working Group on Trade and Gender. All these important initiatives help to increase women’s economic empowerment through enhanced trade opportunities, an objective the UK fully shares with Mexico.

Through our Embassy in Mexico City, the UK has been pleased to work with Mexico on developing a methodology to measure the wage gap in Mexico and help to identify a remedy. This is an on-going and important work, and we encourage Mexico to continue to advance the necessary actions in order to reap the full reward of Mexico’s ambitions in this area.

Regarding transparency, like others the UK notes that less than 200 measures have been recorded by Mexico in the WTO’s Trade Monitoring Database, a low notification level in both relative and absolute terms. The median G20 Member notifies around 400 measures. Notifications and transparency obligations are we all recognise a cornerstone of the ongoing success of the WTO, and we therefore encourage Mexico to continue their efforts to ensure maximum levels of transparency regarding notifications.

Furthermore, recent data suggests that of 257 policy intervention measures in force, 69% (or 177of them) are trade restrictive rather than trade-facilitating. As such, the UK encourages Mexico to pursue balanced trade policies.

As the Secretariat’s Report identifies, Mexico is working to open-up untapped potential within its economy. Export diversification and the spreading of regional exporting opportunities have significant potential to achieve this, expanding the benefits of free trade at a global level and contributing to an improved, strengthened international trading system, it s in all our interest. The UK looks forward to working with our Mexican partners to help make the most of these opportunities.

Finally Madame Chair we like to thank the delegation Mexico for their fruitful engagement in this important transparency exercise and we wish them a successful 7th Trade Policy Review, and thank the Distinguished PR and excellent team to reap all possibilities of WTO

Thank you, Chair.

 

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 5 October 2022.

Ms Ailsa Terry has been appointed British High Commissioner to Malaysia in succession to Mr Charles Hay MVO who will be transferring to another Diplomatic Service appointment. Ms Terry will take up her appointment during July 2023.

Curriculum vitae

Full name: Ailsa Terry

Spouse: Adam Terry

Children: Two

Year	Role
2022 to Present	FCDO, Director, Sanctions
2021 to 2022	FCDO, Director, G7 Presidency
2018 to 2021	Cabinet Office, Director/Deputy Director, National Security Secretariat
2014 to 2018	Brussels, United Kingdom Permanent Representation to the European Union, Counsellor to the Permanent Representative
2012 to 2014	FCO, China Department, Team Leader, Asia Pacific Directorate
2011 to 2012	FCO, Head of Operations, Middle East and North Africa Directorate
2011	Kabul, European Union Delegation, Political Adviser to the EU Special Representative to Afghanistan
2009 to 2011	Islamabad, Second Secretary (Political)
2008 to 2009	FCO, Head of Middle East and Africa Casework Team, Consular Directorate
2007 to 2008	FCO, Desk Officer, Economic and Financial Affairs, Europe Directorate
2006 to 2007	Department for Communities, Private Secretary to the Secretary of State

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 5 October 2022.

The UK Human Rights Ambassador, Rita French, delivered a statement on the Myanmar regime’s access to weapons and arms.

Thank you, Mr President.

Thank you Acting High Commissioner for your report.

The United Kingdom supported the council’s Fact Finding Mission on Myanmar and its’ important work to shine a light on the military’s economic interests. We call on all States to engage with its recommendations, which remain all the more important amid today’s calamitous situation in the country.

We are committed to working with partners to target the regime’s access to finance and arms, which facilitate the most egregious human rights violations. These violations must stop.

The UK has a comprehensive arms embargo on Myanmar and we are clear that no Member State should sell arms to Myanmar; doing so exasperates conflict and instability and directly contributes to violations in the country.

Since the coup, we have announced targeted sanctions on the military leadership, and its access to revenue, arms and military equipment.

While responsible businesses have a role to play in Myanmar in job creation, poverty alleviation and standard setting, we must ensure that their work does not inadvertently support the military regime. For this reason, the UK has also strengthened its advice to UK business, encouraging enhanced due diligence to avoid inadvertent support for the military.

Madam Acting High Commissioner,

What more can the international community to do to pressure those who sell arms to the military?

Thank you.

 

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 5 October 2022.

The UK delivered a statement on the on-going human rights situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Thank you, Madam Vice President,

The United Kingdom thanks the speakers for their presentations and we welcome the reports of the high commissioner, and the team of experts.

The UK remains deeply concerned about the human rights situation in the DRC. Recent violence by armed groups, especially the Allied Democratic Forces and M23, has led to human rights abuses, which jeopardises efforts to pursue peace and prosperity, and exacerbates the already severe humanitarian situation. All of this raises dire concerns about the protection of civilians in the conflict-affected regions.

We urge all actors to address the humanitarian impacts of the violence, ensuring the affected people, including the 5.9 million internally displaced civilians, receive the assistance they need. We welcome ongoing diplomatic efforts to pursue dialogue and de-escalation, and we reiterate our call on all armed groups to immediately cease violence and participate unconditionally in the political process.

We are deeply concerned about the recent violent protests against the UN peacekeeping mission, which resulted in the deaths of civilians and peacekeepers. We continue to offer our full support for MONUSCO’s vital work, and call on the government of DRC to help ensure the safety of MONUSCO’s personnel and hold all perpetrators of violations and abuses to account.

We will continue to support regional engagement to find a diplomatic solution to conflict in the east, and DRC’s efforts to launch a community-based Disarmament, Demobilization and Re-integration programme.

Madam Vice President,

Our question to the panel is how will the UN work with the East African Community to ensure the protection of civilians remains a priority, with any deployment of a regional force?

Thank you.

 

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 5 October 2022.

The UK delivered a statement on for the Interactive Dialogue with the OHCHR regarding the providing of technical assistance amid ongoing human rights issues in the country.

Thank you Madam Vice President,

The United Kingdom thanks the Director for his presentation and the continued work of the Office of the High Commissioner in South Sudan.

The UK is deeply concerned by the continuing and dire human rights situation in South Sudan. This year, hundreds of civilians have been killed or been victims of Conflict Related Sexual Violence at the hands of government and opposition forces. Horrific attacks in southern Unity State and ongoing violence in Upper Nile State are prime examples of this. There needs to be urgent action by the South Sudanese Government to protect civilians and hold perpetrators to account.

The UK commends the OHCHR and UNMISS for their continuing technical assistance, but it is clear that technical assistance alone will not lead to sustainable peace and justice without clear mechanisms for scrutiny and accountability. The Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan therefore plays a vital role in helping to hold those responsible for human rights violations and abuses to account, including through their monitoring and reporting.

The UK acknowledges the Government of South Sudan’s extension of the 2018 peace agreement and accompanying Roadmap. We call on the South Sudanese Government to implement the peace agreement, including all of Chapter V, in full and to the timelines set by their new Roadmap.

Mr Director,

What prospects do you see for the establishment as soon as possible of the truth and justice mechanisms under Chapter V, including the Hybrid Court? How can this be most effectively supported?

Thank you.

 

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 5 October 2022.

Justin Addison (UK delegation to the OSCE) says sustainable management of natural resources is essential to mitigate impacts of climate and biodiversity crises.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 4 October 2022.

Statement by Richard Croker, UK Ambassador to the General Assembly, at the Third Committee meeting on advancement of women.

Thank you Mr Chair,

Multiple and interconnected barriers are preventing women and girls from reaching their full potential. Where women and girls are unable to reach their potential, whole countries suffer. We know that when we challenge discrimination and progress gender equality, everybody benefits.

The UK is committed to protecting and promoting women and girls’ rights and freedoms at home and abroad so that they can have their voice, choice and control over all aspects of their lives.

Women’s rights are human rights, as enshrined by numerous conventions that the UK supports. Our ambition remains higher than ever, and we cannot be complacent when reviewing our progress.

That is why we have committed to placing women and girls at the heart of our foreign and development policy, prioritising action on 3 areas: Educating girls; Empowering women and girls; and Ending violence.

We know that achieving gender equality is fundamental to building democracies and accelerating progress on securing freedoms, prosperity and trade, as well as strengthening global security and resilience. Women’s knowledge and leadership strengthens decision-making, driving better, more sustainable, and fairer policies that benefit whole communities.

Together, over many years, we have made real, hard-won progress on this agenda. There are more girls in school; fewer girls forced into early marriage; more women serving in high political offices and private sector leadership positions; and there have been encouraging legal reforms in many countries to address inequalities.

However, progress has stalled. At the current rate, it will take 135 years to close the gender gap worldwide. Women and girls are, and continue to be, disproportionately impacted by crises, be it the COVID pandemic, conflict, or climate change.

Take COVID as an example. At a global level, we have witnessed women shouldering the unpaid care burden and being hardest hit economically, deepening poverty for women and girls. There has been a global surge in gender-based violence, reduced access to sexual and reproductive health and rights; and increases in child marriage and adolescent pregnancy. An estimated 20 million girls will never return to school because of COVID.

Recent months have also shown the deep resilience of the human spirit and of free societies, with women and girls on the frontline of and being affected by multiple brutal conflicts, including most recently due to Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine.

Increasing authoritarianism is undermining democratic values, human rights and effective institutions and placing these hard-won gains under threat. Systematic attempts by several actors to roll back and reverse women’s and girls’ rights have gained momentum at the international and community level.

In Afghanistan, twenty years of progress on women’s rights have been reversed. Afghan girls have been largely banned from secondary school for over a year, the only country in the world where this is the case.
In Iran, the death of Mahsa Amini is a shocking reminder of the repression faced by women. No one should face violence because of what they wear, how they practice their beliefs or any expression of fundamental rights.

The UK stands steadfast in its commitment to protect and promote women’s and girls’ rights. In particular, we must respect the bodily autonomy of women and girls throughout their lives by supporting them in exercising their sexual and reproductive rights, preventing all forms of gender-based violence and eliminating harmful practices including female genital mutilation and child, early and forced marriage.

The UK has a long record of leading the charge against gender-based violence, including conflict-related sexual violence. This November, the UK will host a major international conference to promote prevention, justice and support for survivors, and strengthening the global response.

Mr Chair,

We are prepared to do things differently, to think differently, and to work differently to achieve true gender equality. We must act across multiple sectors and disciplines simultaneously and tackle the many forms of disadvantage that women and girls face, spanning age, race, disability, economic status, gender identity, religion/belief and geographical location.

And we cannot do this alone. We will continue to work with our partners, including women’s rights organisations who are at the frontlines of this work, to deliver for women and girls everywhere.

I thank you.