Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Lord Hague of Richmond and Chris Evans

Tuesday 17th June 2014 Commons Chamber

[Mr Hague]

As I mentioned earlier, it will be of paramount importance that those elections, which are scheduled to take place within six months of the formation of the new Government, are free and democratic and that Palestinians throughout the occupied territories are able to take part in them. We will of course make representations to the Israelis and to the Palestinians about that.

[Chris Evans (Islwyn) (Lab/Co-op)]

T9. Given the far-too-regular incursions of Spanish ships into British territorial waters and the continuing long delays at Spanish border crossings, what further actions are Ministers taking to resolve the issue over Gibraltar? Will they give me a guarantee that a Minister will visit Gibraltar real soon?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Lord Hague of Richmond and Chris Evans

Tuesday 29th November 2011 Commons Chamber

[Chris Evans (Islwyn) (Lab/Co-op)]

1. What recent discussions he has had with his EU counterparts on Syria.

[The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Mr William Hague)]

I speak regularly with my EU colleagues about Syria—most recently at the EU Foreign Affairs Council on 14 November, where we agreed a further round of sanctions on Syria.

[Chris Evans]

This week, we have heard Turkey call for President Assad to step down. Will the Foreign Secretary give us an update on how secure President Assad’s position is in Syria?

[Mr Hague]

It is not very secure. We absolutely agree with the Turkish Government. Indeed, my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister called in August for President Assad to step aside. We believe that the regime has lost all legitimacy, certainly in the eyes of the world, but clearly in the eyes of millions of its own people as well. So the regime should now understand that it has no future, that democracy should be introduced in Syria, and the regime should leave office.