Tag: Foreign Office

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 27 September 2022.

Ambassador Neil Bush highlights the importance of inclusive, democratic institutions and accountable governments at OSCE’s Warsaw Human Dimension Conference.

Thank you, Madam Moderator,

The United Kingdom believes that inclusive, democratic institutions and accountable governments are the foundations on which open, stable and prosperous societies thrive. Societies with the full participation of women and marginalised groups and equal rights for all. Resilient, responsive, and representative.

And yet, we have seen authoritarian influence on the rise in states across the OSCE region leading to democratic backsliding, restrictions to civic space and the rollback of rights.

Where human rights abuses go unchecked, we see the seeds of conflict sown, often with devastating consequences for communities and nations. The absence of democratic freedoms and equality, good governance and the rule of law also impedes nations’ prosperity, deters international investment, restricts innovation, and reduces opportunities.

The work of the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) is vital to strengthening democracy and fostering long-term security. We fully support ODIHR’s election observation methodology – its impartial and objective approach to elections has helped improve electoral processes across the OSCE region.

It is crucial that ODHIR has a proper budget to continue delivering on its mandate and ensure democratic progress is sustained.

We also recognise that the information people need to participate democratically is increasingly moving online. Collectively, we need to ensure that journalists are able to operate safely and to hold the powerful to account. We must also remain vigilant of disinformation by malign actors.

Madam Moderator – Russia’s invasion of Ukraine shows that it is critical that we work even harder to strengthen democratic resilience. Internal repression in Russia and Belarus is tied to external aggression. We stand totally and firmly with Ukraine.

Madam Chair – in conclusion, societies that govern themselves democratically, where all groups meaningfully participate in political and economic processes, are safer, stronger and more secure. We call on all OSCE participating states to recognise the importance of democracy in underpinning collective security, to work together to combat democratic backsliding in the OSCE region and to fully support the vital work of ODIHR.

Thank you very much.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 26 September 2022.

Thank you President and to SRSG La Lime and our briefers.

I’d like to add three brief points to the discussion today:

Firstly, like others, the United Kingdom remains deeply concerned by the continued deterioration of the security and human rights situation in Haiti. Violence and insecurity further entrench the multifaceted challenges faced by Haiti and exacerbate the vulnerabilities of the Haitian population.

As we’ve heard today from our briefers, the humanitarian situation within Haiti also continues to deteriorate. Rooted in long standing economic, security and socio-political crises – the current escalation of these challenges has exacerbated the food

insecurity of the Haitian people. The looting of the World Food Programme office and warehouse is deeply concerning, preventing assistance from reaching thousands of Haiti’s most vulnerable.

The United Kingdom encourages all actors to work constructively to find urgent solutions, and to support recovery and progress for the Haitian people.

Secondly, as others have also said, there must be greater efforts by Haitian stakeholders to resolve the political gridlock. This is critical in enabling Haiti to find its own pathway out of the compounded challenges it is facing.

We renew our call for all actors to resume political dialogue and to work together to ensure the necessary security environment within which free and fair elections can be held as soon as possible.

Thirdly, I would like to underscore the United Kingdom’s support for the work of the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti. BINUH is fundamental in supporting Haiti to resolve these multifaceted challenges. By strengthening the Haitian National Police and facilitating dialogue between Haitian political stakeholders, BINUH’s efforts help lay the groundwork for stability in Haiti. We look forward to seeing the outcome of the strategic review of options to support security in Haiti and hope these are part of a renewed holistic and joined-up approach by the UN and other partners.

Finally President, we welcome the intention of the United States and Mexico to propose a draft resolution and look forward todiscussing it with partners. We support action that moves Haiti closer to security and stability with a return to democratic processes as soon as possible.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 26 September 2022.

Thank you, Mr Chair, and thank you to Poland and OSCE’s Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) for your warm welcome and hosting.

We gather today, against the bleak backdrop of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. In the history of the OSCE never have the Helsinki Final Act’s ten foundational principles been so disregarded. The territorial integrity of States is paramount. Yet Russia chooses to consistently ignore this principle. No matter the cost. Tens of thousands of Ukrainians have been killed and injured. Vibrant, historic cities of Ukraine lie in rubble, sham referenda are being organised. Multiple international humanitarian law and human rights abuses have been committed. Detailed in all their horror in two Moscow Mechanism reports. Lives have been put on hold. Many changed irreparably. Russia’s shadow looms large over its neighbours in the OSCE region. The impact of Putin’s illegal invasion seeping across the globe.

As we stand united with Ukraine, we must also reflect on the state of human rights within the Russian Federation and Belarus. Internal repression and external aggression represent two sides of the same coin – when a state places a stranglehold on the freedoms of its own people – it sets the conditions for, and enables, aggression abroad. We have witnessed this again over the last few days. Russian police arrested around 2,000 people for peacefully protesting mobilisation. Mr Chair – we cannot, and will not, sit idly by.

The institutions of the OSCE – ODHIR and the Representative on Freedom of the Media – act as an early warning to internal human rights abuses. We must heed their calls and react decisively. The human dimension underpins European security and is absolutely critical to the functioning of the OSCE. We must robustly defend the independence, mandates, and budgets of the OSCE’s institutions and structures. Our peace, stability and security may depend on it.

I’ll end by paying tribute to civil society representatives; the activists, lawyers, and the journalists who have travelled to Warsaw this year, some at real personal risk, to defend human rights. The UK delegation looks forward to a lively discussion with you.

Thank you Mr Chair.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 26 September 2022.

The Foreign Secretary has today (26 September) announced 92 sanctions in response to the Russian regime imposing sham referendums in four regions of Ukraine – a clear violation of international law, including the UN charter.

The Russian regime has organised these sham referendums in a desperate attempt to grab land and justify their illegal war. The process reflects their approach in Crimea in 2014, combining disinformation, intimidation, and fake results. These referendums do not represent the demonstrated will of the Ukrainian people and are a severe violation of Ukraine’s territorial integrity and political independence.

The Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said:

Sham referendums held at the barrel of a gun cannot be free or fair and we will never recognise their results. They follow a clear pattern of violence, intimidation, torture, and forced deportations in the areas of Ukraine Russia has seized.

Today’s sanctions will target those behind these sham votes, as well as the individuals that continue to prop up the Russian regime’s war of aggression. We stand with the Ukrainian people and our support will continue as long as it takes to restore their sovereignty.

In order to implement these fake referendums, the Russian regime has deployed officials and collaborators to each of the these temporarily controlled regions – 33 of these individuals are being sanctioned today. These include:

• Sergei Yeliseyev – the Head of Government in Kherson, recently installed by the Russian government and Vice Admiral in the Russian Navy. Since defecting from the Ukrainian navy in 2014, Yeliseyev has continued to undermine the independence of Ukraine
• Ivan Kusov – the Minister of Education and Science of the so-called Luhansk People’s Republic and tasked with “helping our educational institutions to seamlessly blend in the educational system of Russia” by Pasechnik – leader of the LPR
• Yevhen Balytskyi – the Russian installed head of the so-called Government in Zaporizhzhia, who has been supporting the Russian invasion since March through public statements of support. In August, Balytskyi reportedly signed a decree to allow a referendum on Zaporizhzhia joining the Russian Federation
• Evgeniy Solntsev – the Deputy Chairman of the so-called Donetsk People’s Republic

IMA Consulting, branded ‘Putin’s favourite PR agency’ has also been sanctioned. IMA has reportedly been awarded to manage the public campaigns for these sham referendums – both to support their implementation within the four temporarily controlled territories and spin their false legitimacy back in Russia.

Goznak, a security documents company known for its monopoly on the production of ‘tens of millions’ of state documents including expedited passports in the temporarily controlled territories, has also been sanctioned.

Putin continues to rely on his cabal of oligarchs and selected elites in order to fund his war. Today a further four oligarchs, with a combined global net worth estimated at £6.3 billion, have also been sanctioned for supporting or obtaining benefit from the Government of Russia and operating in sectors of strategic significance. These include:

• God Nisanov and Zarakh Iliev – known as the ‘Kings of Russian real estate’, and with a joint global net worth of £2 billion, the pair own and control the Kievskaya Ploshchad Group, a major construction company operating across Russia
• Iskander Makhmudov – President and founder of Ural Mining and Metallurgic Company. A major metals magnate, Makhmudov has an estimated global net worth of £2.7 billion
• Igor Makarov – President and owner of ARETI International Group, a major investor in the oil and gas sector, and founder of Itera, Russia’s first independent gas company before being bought by state-owned Rosneft. Makarov is worth an estimated £1.6 billion

Today’s package also includes 55 board members from state-linked organisations that continue to bankroll the Russian war machine – serving as a stark reminder of the cost of supporting Putin’s operation. Amongst those sanctioned are:

• 23 individuals from the Gazprombank Board of Directors and Management Board
• 16 members of the Sberbank Supervisory Board, Executive Board, and other Directors
• 10 individuals from Sovcombank, including the Deputy Chairman and members of the Supervisory Board and Management Board

The UK will never recognise the results of any sham referendums or attempts to annex Ukraine’s sovereign territory. Ukraine voted overwhelmingly for independence from the Soviet Union in 1991 and their continued brave resistance against Russian aggression clearly demonstrates their wish to remain an independent sovereign state.

We stand united alongside our international partners in condemning the Russian government’s egregious actions. Alongside partners we will continue to pursue targeted sanctions and are committed to sustained economic and political pressure on Russia.

As of today, the UK has sanctioned over 1,200 individuals and over 120 entities, including over 120 oligarchs with an estimated combined global net worth of over £130 billion.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 26 September 2022.

The UK Permanent Representative to the UK in Geneva, Ambassador Simon Manley, delivered a statement on the possible crimes against humanity in Xinjiang, China, Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine, protests in Iran, the truce in Ethiopia and COP27 in Egypt.

Thank you, Mr President,

The former High Commissioner’s report found that possible crimes against humanity have taken place in Xinjiang, China. It found evidence that Muslim women are being forcibly sterilised. That Uyghurs are not allowed to practice their religion or speak their own language. That people are being detained and tortured– merely because they belong to a minority group. We cannot ignore such severe and systematic breaches of human rights. This Council must not, cannot, stay silent.

We have oft spoken in this Chamber of Putin’s flouting of international law through his military aggression against Ukraine.

The sham referendums currently being held in Ukraine can have neither legal effect nor legitimacy. Russia can’t change the borders of another sovereign state. It’s a clear breach of the UN Charter.

We have also repeatedly heard the harrowing reports of Russia’s violations of human rights in Ukraine, including of those subjected to Russia’s so-called filtration operations. Aggression overseas is accompanied by repression at home as those brave Russians who dare to speak out against Putin’s war are detained in their thousands.

Mr President,

The death of Mahsa Amini in Iran, following her arrest, has shocked the world. We call on Iran to carry out independent, transparent investigations into her death and the excessive violence used against subsequent protests.

In Ethiopia it is crucial that the truce is reinstated and that peace talks begin to avoid a repeat of the atrocities including extrajudicial killings and sexual violence seen earlier in this conflict.

Finally, ahead of COP 27 – we urge Egypt to ensure that independent civil society, human rights defenders, and the media can operate freely. The success of the conference – as we saw in Glasgow – depends on vibrant civil society participation.

Thank you.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 26 September 2022.

UK Deputy Ambassador Brown welcomes ceasefire between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan and urges both sides to pursue a diplomatic solution.

The United Kingdom expresses its deepest condolences to the victims and their families following the border clashes that took place between the Kyrgyz Republic and Tajikistan, beginning on 14 September.

We welcome the ceasefire reached between the two countries and urge both sides to pursue a diplomatic solution to this conflict, which is in both parties’ interests.

The United Kingdom remains committed to supporting the OSCE in its efforts to help facilitate a peaceful and lasting resolution.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 26 September 2022.

UK Human Rights Ambassador, Rita French, delivered a statement following the results of the International Fact-Finding Mission on Venezuela.

Thank you, Mr President.

The UN Independent International Fact-Finding Mission has done a remarkable job in revealing the extent of human rights violations, including gender based violence, committed in Venezuela.

We are gravely concerned by the role of Venezuela’s intelligence agencies outlined in the report. Threats and crimes against human rights defenders, activists, educators and union leaders in Venezuela must stop.

The UK is deeply concerned by the reports of violence in mining areas, including the Arco Minero de Orinoco. We condemn the killing of Virgilio Trujillo, an indigenous leader and environmental activist, and call on Venezuela to hold perpetrators to account and to protect the population.

Have there been any reports of reprisals against those who have contributed to your reports, and was the evidence gathering process more or less challenging than for the previous report?

Mr President,

Given the concerning lack of official data, the reports presented to this Council are essential records of the human rights situation in Venezuela. The work of the Fact Finding Mission and the Office of the High Commissioner in Venezuela is critical for Venezuelans. We urge the renewal of the Fact Finding Mission’s mandate to ensure the continued monitoring of the human rights situation in Venezuela.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 25 September 2022.

Special Envoys and Representatives for Afghanistan of the European Union, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, the United Kingdom and the United States met in Washington D.C. on September 15, 2022, to discuss the situation in Afghanistan. Other officials from Japan, Qatar, Switzerland and UNAMA also participated in the meeting as observers, which included technical sessions with the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank.

The Special Envoys and Representatives for Afghanistan:

1. Expressed grave concerns with the continued undermining of human rights and fundamental freedoms of Afghans; welcomed the recent report by the UN Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in Afghanistan to the UN Human Rights Council; denounced violations of international humanitarian law and abuses of rights protected under international human rights treaties and conventions to which Afghanistan is a State Party, including abuses of the rights of members of ethnic and religious minority groups or other marginalized groups; condemned, in particular, abuses of the rights of Afghan women and girls throughout the country, including restrictions on freedom of movement, as well as their exclusion from political, economic, educational and social spaces; noted the issuance of no fewer than 16 Taliban announcements and policies since August 2021 that have restricted women’s and girls’ enjoyment of their rights; and called for the immediate reversal of the Taliban’s ban on girls’ attendance in schools in grades 7 to 12, noting girls have not attended school at these levels for the last year throughout most of the country.
2. Denounced increasing restrictions on freedom of opinion and expression, notably through media repression, including of female reporters, and condemned the detentions of both Afghan and foreign journalists.
3. Stressed the urgency in continuing to address the grave humanitarian crisis in the country, including through steps to prepare the Afghan population for the upcoming winter; highlighted the substantial humanitarian assistance provided for Afghanistan since August 2021 from their respective governments and organizations; affirmed the need for all relevant actors to adhere to applicable international law and to ensure the independence of humanitarian organizations; emphasized the importance of all humanitarian staff – men and women – having unimpeded access to any areas of the country necessary to performing their jobs effectively; called for adherence to humanitarian principles and for the removal of any restrictions and obstacles to the provision of humanitarian assistance; and emphasized the importance of equitable and direct access to humanitarian aid, as well as to aid intended to address basic human needs, with appropriate consideration for vulnerable populations, including women and women-led households, children and ethnic and religious communities.
4. Expressed grave concern about the continued presence and operations of terrorists and terrorist groups in Afghanistan, including al-Qa’ida and other groups with a stated aim to target countries in the region and beyond; and specifically condemned the recent presence of al-Qa’ida leader Ayman al-Zawahiri in Afghanistan and emphasized that Zawahiri’s presence in Kabul was a clear example of the Taliban’s failure to meet their counter-terrorism commitments.
5. Highlighted the need for the Taliban to take sustained and verifiable steps, consistent with their commitments and applicable international law, including international humanitarian law, against all terrorist groups and activity occurring in Afghanistan; condemned recent ISIS-K attacks against civilians, the diplomatic community and areas where civilians gather, including mosques; acknowledged active operations by the Taliban against ISIS-K; and called on the Taliban to protect at-risk ethnic and religious communities from attacks by members of ISIS-K and other terrorists, as well as to take all possible steps to ensure perpetrators of such attacks are held accountable.
6. Emphasized that enduring peace and stability in Afghanistan requires a credible and inclusive national dialogue leading to a constitutional order with a representative political system; noted that the risk of armed conflict is likely to increase significantly without a broadly representative and accountable government chosen through a credible process in which all adult Afghan women and men can participate; and called on the Taliban to fulfill their commitment made in the February 2020 Doha Agreement to participate in intra-Afghan dialogue and negotiations over a political roadmap that leads to a new Afghan Islamic government.
7. Underscored the importance of the Taliban fulfilling their commitments to counter drug production and trafficking.
8. Noted that the Taliban have committed to allow safe and orderly passage to and from Afghanistan of foreign nationals and Afghans – both women and men – who are properly documented.
9. Discussed the recent lapse of the exceptions to the UN travel ban on certain Taliban leaders and called on all countries to act responsibly in implementing their UN obligations.
10. Emphasized that foreign assistance to Afghanistan is for the benefit of the Afghan people and not a sign of progress toward normalization of relations with the Taliban; and noted that engagement by members of the international community with the Taliban should not be interpreted as progress toward normalization.
11. Highlighted the need for the Taliban to focus on the country’s economic crisis and to create an enabling environment for greater investment through, among other things, adherence to fair and transparent rule of law; stressed that humanitarian assistance and assistance for basic human needs are not sufficient to prevent further deterioration of the country’s economy; discussed other ways to help sustain Afghan livelihoods through economic stabilization and by increasing liquidity in the country; emphasized the importance of reviving Afghanistan’s banking and financial sector and to facilitating licit cross-border money flows; raised the need to expand the capability, transparency and professionalism of the Afghan central bank as part of efforts to increase liquidity and to stabilize the economy; noted the recent establishment of the Afghan Fund in Switzerland that aims to preserve and protect Afghan central bank reserves and to make targeted disbursements from those reserves for the benefit of the people of Afghanistan; and emphasized the need for the Afghan central bank to (1) demonstrate its independence from political influence and interference; (2) demonstrate it has instituted adequate anti-money laundering and countering-the-financing-of-terrorism (AML/CFT) controls; and (3) complete a third-party needs assessment and onboard a reputable third-party monitor.
12. Welcomed the appointment by UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres of Ms. Roza Otunbayeva as the new Special Representative for Afghanistan and head of UNAMA; and called on the Taliban, other Afghans and members of the international community to cooperate with SRSG Otunbayeva as she implements UNAMA’s mandate, including on the promotion of dialogue among all relevant Afghan stakeholders aimed at achieving inclusive, responsive, representative and participatory governance at national and subnational levels and on the monitoring of the human rights situation; and expressed support for the renewal by the UN Human Rights Council of the mandate of the UN Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in Afghanistan, called for the strengthening of its role on gender rights and an increase in the position’s financial resources, and welcomed the work done to date in this role by Mr. Richard Bennett.
13. Welcomed UNAMA’s mandate to promote transitional justice and called on the Taliban and other Afghans to work in good faith toward addressing the country’s legacy of war crimes and other violence; acknowledged that grievances exist on all sides of the conflict and noted that sustainable peace is unlikely without a reconciliation process that emphasizes healing and restorative justice over retribution; and noted the importance of adherence to the Taliban’s policy of amnesty for former Islamic Republic officials and to upholding accountability for those who violate this policy.
14. Highlighted the need for all members of the international community, particularly Afghanistan’s neighbors, other partners in the region and Muslim-majority countries, to cooperate in Afghanistan with the interest of the Afghan people in mind.
15. Expressed their appreciation to the United States for organizing these consultations and hosting the meeting.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 25 September 2022.

• James Cleverly begins a three-day visit this week (26 September), to Japan, Republic of Korea and Singapore.
• He will demonstrate the growing importance of the Indo-Pacific Tilt, and the UK’s ambition to become the European partner of choice with the greatest presence in the region.
• The Foreign Secretary will meet President Yoon Suk-yeol of the Republic of South Korea, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong of Singapore and deliver a keynote speech at the Milken Asia Summit.

Focused on strengthening bilateral ties and enhancing trade and security links, Foreign Secretary James Cleverly will begin a three-day visit to Japan, Republic of Korea and Singapore this week (26 September).

It is one of his first international visits as Foreign Secretary – following the United Nations General Assembly in New York – demonstrating the growing importance of the Indo-Pacific Tilt, and the UK’s ambition to become the European partner of choice with the greatest presence in the region.

The UK and Japan are the closest of friends and partners. Cleverly’s visit comes after Prime Minister Liz Truss met Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida at the UN General Assembly in New York, where the leaders looked forward to expanding the UK-Japan relationship. Both countries are working together to further shared goals on security, defence and trade through programmes like the Future Combat Air System (FCAS) and the UK’s application to join the Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).

During the visit in Japan, Cleverly will attend the State Funeral of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and meet Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi. While in the Republic of Korea he will meet President Yoon Suk-yeol and visit the Joint Security Area of the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ). Finally in Singapore, Cleverly will meet Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and deliver a keynote speech at the Milken Asia Summit.

Speaking ahead of the visit, Foreign Secretary, James Cleverly, said:

As I start my visit to the region in Japan, my thoughts are with the Japanese people as we remember the legacy of former Prime Minister Abe – their longest serving prime minister who brought our two countries closer together.

The UK has a long-term commitment to the Indo-Pacific region, as we look to establish a greater and more persistent presence than any other European country.  This in turn will boost economic development, strengthen trade ties and enhance security.

While in Japan, the Foreign Secretary will offer condolences at the State Funeral of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. In a meeting with Foreign Minister Hayashi, Cleverly will reaffirm the UK’s ongoing commitment to its relationship with Japan, its closest security partner in Asia, and the two countries’ strong people-to-people links.

Cleverly will then travel to the Republic of Korea to highlight closer cooperation on security, trade and energy and meet President Yoon Suk-yeol. He will visit the Joint Security Area of the Demilitarised Zone with the United Nations Command. With Foreign Minister Park Jin, he will discuss UK-RoK cooperation on global security and economic issues including Ukraine, Russia and China as part of the existing bilateral framework.

The visit will conclude in Singapore, with meetings with Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Vivian Balakrishnan to discuss driving forward the bilateral relationship, regional security and trade. He will deliver a keynote speech at the Milken Asia Summit setting out his foreign policy vision for the Indo-Pacific region.

In recognition of Singapore’s role as an important regional finance centre, he will launch the new British Investment International Office, establishing a significant hub that will boost investment in green, renewable infrastructure.