Asked by: Lord Coaker (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the political situation in Kashmir; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Mark Field
The UK closely monitors the situation in India-administered Kashmir and Pakistan-administered Kashmir. British High Commission officials in India and Pakistan continue to meet local authorities and others to discuss progress.
The Government of India appointed an interlocutor for Kashmir in October to work with interested parties and individuals in India-administered Kashmir; we understand he has completed two visits to the region. We welcome such efforts to engage in inclusive dialogue.
The long-standing position of the UK is that it is for India and Pakistan to find a lasting resolution to the situation in Kashmir, taking into account the wishes of the Kashmiri people.
Asked by: Lord Coaker (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will publish the UN's response to the letter from the UK Permanent Representative to the UN sent on 7 September on recent action taken in Syria.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
Matthew Rycroft, the UK’s Permanent Representative to the UN wrote to the President of the Security Council on 7 September. This was circulated to UNSC members and published as a document of the Security Council with reference S/2015/688. As is normal in these circumstances, there will be no response.
Asked by: Lord Coaker (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent representations he has made to his Afghan counterpart on the treatment of the Hazara people in that country.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
Our Embassy in Kabul regularly meets Hazara representatives to discuss minority issues and Hazaran representation in the National Unity Government, including 2nd Vice President Danish in September; Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Abdullah’s adviser, Dr Habibi Sorabi, in June; and 2nd Deputy to the CEO Abdullah, Mohammed Mohaqeq, in March, where concerns regarding the kidnaps of Hazaras were raised. We raised our concerns regarding minority rights with the Government of Afghanistan during Afghanistan’s Universal Periodic Review at the UN Human Rights Council in 2014.Asked by: Lord Coaker (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the security situation in Libya.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
Ongoing instability and increased violence are a serious threat to Libya’s future. The wider region is threatened by the increasing presence of terrorist organisations and the facilitation of illegal migration. The UK is particularly concerned about the growing threat from extremist groups affiliated with ISIL in Libya. Only a stable and representative Government of National Accord (GNA) can deal with the political and security challenges Libya faces. I discussed this with visiting members of the House of Representatives and Libyan activists during my recent visit to Tunisia.
The UK remains fully committed to supporting the work of Special Representative of the Secretary General Leon to find a lasting political and security settlement in Libya. An agreement on a GNA is an essential first step to normalising Libya, and needs to be accompanied by a monitored ceasefire, withdrawal of armed groups from the cities and a comprehensive security plan.
Asked by: Lord Coaker (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the security situation in Nigeria.
Answered by James Duddridge
The security situation in Nigeria remains of strong concern. It is estimated that 20,000 people have been killed, 1.5 million have been displaced and at least 3 million have been affected by the terrorist group Boko Haram. Recent efforts by Nigeria and its neighbours have seen the group pushed back. However, Boko Haram remains a potent threat and retains the ability to conduct attacks. President Buhari has made restoring security and prosperity to north east Nigeria a priority for his government. We look forward to working closely with him on this agenda.Asked by: Lord Coaker (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the security situation in Iraq.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
Since ISIL’s expansion in the summer of 2014, the Government of Iraq (GoI), with the support of the Global Counter-ISIL Coalition, including the UK, has succeeded in halting ISIL’s advance and pushing them out of a quarter of the territory they have captured. However, the security situation in Iraq remains concerning.
In central and western Iraq the Iraqi Security Forces (ISF), supported by Coalition airstrikes have generally succeeded in containing ISIL advances, and in places like Tikrit, retaken territory. On 17 May, however, ISIL captured the city of Ramadi in Anbar province. While this represents a symbolic and tactical advance for ISIL, we do not judge it to be strategically significant.
Some areas of Iraq, such as Mosul, remain under complete ISIL control whilst others like Fallujah and Baiji continue to be heavily contested.
In the north, the Kurdish Security Forces (KSF), supported by Coalition airstrikes, have recaptured territory, particularly around the Sinjar area, and continue to make incremental gains. The majority of southern Iraq remains calm.
Asked by: Lord Coaker (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the security situation in Afghanistan.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
Working for a stable and secure Afghanistan that is willing and able to counter terrorism remains a key objective for our work in Afghanistan. The UK played a leading role in the International Security Assistance Force mission. With NATO support, Afghan security forces now number around 330,000, the strongest in Afghan history. In January 2015 they assumed complete responsibility for the country’s security, a significant achievement and a tangible demonstration of the progress achieved to date. Recent well-publicised attacks have shown insurgent ambition to press for early impact following the announcement on 22 April of the start of their military campaign this year, in which they have declared Afghan Government and international institutions and civilian personnel as legitimate targets. We recognise and are ever mindful of the indiscriminate tragedy that this inflicts. Events have also illustrated the ability and determination of Afghan Defence and Security Forces to absorb pressure and to respond effectively. We expect this capability to broaden and to deepen as NATO’s Resolute Support Mission continues, of which the UK remains a key component.
We are aware of reports claiming that Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant/Daesh have gained a foothold in Afghanistan and that they are seeking to consolidate this. Together with Afghan and international counterparts, we are monitoring the situation closely.