Asked by: Jack Lopresti (Conservative - Filton and Bradley Stoke)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent reports he has received on Turkish military action towards Kurdish groups in Syria; and what representations he has made to his Turkish counterpart on the conduct of those actions.
Answered by Alan Duncan
We continue to follow the situation in northern Syria closely. We discuss these issues with the Turkish government, and regularly review information and reporting from UN agencies and NGOs such as Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International to inform our assessments. We have urged the necessity of protecting the rights of the Kurdish inhabitants of the area, and raise concerns with Turkey where we have credible evidence.
Asked by: Jack Lopresti (Conservative - Filton and Bradley Stoke)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with the (a) Iraqi Government and (b) Kurdistan Regional Government on the effect of territorial disputes on reconstruction efforts in the Nineveh Plains.
Answered by Alistair Burt
UK officials closely monitor the situation in Iraq and are in regular contact with Governors in provinces liberated from Daesh, and the Government of Iraq, including the Prime Minister's Office, to discuss issues such as territorial disputes in the Ninewa Plains. UK staff also coordinate with partners such as the UN's International Organisation for Migration to track conditions in areas of return, including indicators such as access to services, safety and security.
Asked by: Jack Lopresti (Conservative - Filton and Bradley Stoke)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the safety and security of internally displaced persons returning from the Kurdistan Region of Iraq to the Nineveh Plains.
Answered by Alistair Burt
Displaced people in all areas of Iraq continue to deal with significant challenges, including forced displacement, risk of eviction and a lack of access to services. A significant number of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) reside in Ninewa; recent updates from camps in the governorate suggest that the majority of issues are around poor access to electricity and water, whilst the main concerns for out-of-camp IDPs relate to need for healthcare services and cash assistance. UK officials closely monitor the humanitarian situation across the whole of Iraq. Overall there has been significant progress since the country was liberated from Daesh, with the number of IDPs now below two million, and the number of returnees over four million. If we are to see continued progress, it will be vital for the Government of Iraq to coordinate closely with the Kurdish Regional Government to ensure that IDPs continue to be able to return to areas such as the Ninewa Plains.
Asked by: Jack Lopresti (Conservative - Filton and Bradley Stoke)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to the Iranian Government in relation to the recent missile attack on an Iranian Kurdish camp in Koya in the Kurdistan region in Iraq; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Alistair Burt
The UK has been following recent events in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region of Iraq with concern.
Following the attack near Koya, Her Majesty's Ambassador to the Republic of Iraq travelled to Kurdistan Region of Iraq to speak to all parties alongside Consul General Erbil. On 13 September the Ambassador publicly condemned the attacks as disproportionate and dangerous.
Her Majesty's Ambassador to the Islamic Republic of Iran regularly raises our concerns over Iran's destabilising activity in the region, pressing the Government of Iran to play a more constructive role. Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials continue to engage regularly on this and other issues with Iran at all levels.