Tag: Press Release

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

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

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

Curriculum vitae

Full name: Sarah Catherine Cooke

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

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

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

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

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

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

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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