Asked by: John Grogan (Labour - Keighley)
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 Government of Peru on freedom of the press and the role of investigative journalists in that country.
Answered by Christopher Pincher
The British Ambassador in Peru raised Media Freedom with Foreign Minister Popolizio on 24 June, extending to him an invitation to the Global Conference on Media Freedom in London in July.
In his opening speech at the Conference, the former Foreign Secretary hailed the work of Investigative Journalist Gustavo Gorriti of IDL-Reporteros, noting that he "has brought to light a series of corruption scandals involving business, the government and the judiciary". Mr Gorriti sent a video message in support of the Conference, and his fellow investigative journalists Paola Ugaz and Pedro Salinas were able to attend at the British Government's invitation.
The United Kingdom is fully committed to the promotion of media freedom and the protection of journalists. In 2019, the former Foreign Secretary announced our launch of the international campaign to end the climate of impunity and mobilise a consensus behind protection of journalists worldwide. We are currently considering how this campaign can best add value and reinforce existing mechanisms, including those of the UN and other international organisations. We have held discussions with Reporters Without Borders and are actively reviewing their proposal for a dedicated UN position on this issue.
Asked by: John Grogan (Labour - Keighley)
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) Government of Albania and (b) political parties in Albania on the boycott of that country's Parliament by opposition parties.
Answered by Christopher Pincher
We hold regular discussions with the Government of Albania and opposition parties and have urged both sides to engage in dialogue to resolve their political differences. The previous Prime Minister raised the need for political dialogue with Prime Minister Rama at the Poznan Summit. The then Minister of State for Europe and the Americas also saw acting Foreign Minister, Gent Cakaj, in Poznan, where they discussed the impasse in Albania and broader political challenges in the Western Balkans.
Asked by: John Grogan (Labour - Keighley)
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 effectiveness of the Steppe Inn at the British Embassy in Ulaanbaatar to promote UK soft power.
Answered by Heather Wheeler
The Steppe Inne is a well-known institution at the British Embassy in Ulaanbaatar and has hosted Embassy contacts, Mongolian and British alike, for more than 30 years. With the forthcoming move to new Embassy premises, the Steppe Inne will close but plans are being developed to arrange Steppe Inne nights at an alternative venue in Ulaanbaatar. The Steppe Inne has played a role in UK soft power but is part of a much wider Embassy effort to promote British interests in Mongolia.
Asked by: John Grogan (Labour - Keighley)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how much was disbursed from the public purse by his Department to fund UK election observers overseas in each of the last five years.
Answered by Mark Field
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) funds the participation of UK election observers in election observation missions overseas where it judges that it is in the UK national interest to do so and where it is safe to do so. Details of this expenditure are not held centrally because decisions are made by individual FCO departments. It would therefore be disproportionately costly to calculate the total amount disbursed over the past five years.
Asked by: John Grogan (Labour - Keighley)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations has he made to the Government of Kosovo on the rendition of six Turkish citizens from that country to Turkey; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Alan Duncan
Our Embassy in Pristina has raised with the Government of Kosovo the arrest and deportation of six Turkish nationals from Kosovo to Turkey. We have made clear to the Government of Kosovo that as a supporter of democratic values, Kosovo must prioritise the Rule of Law and international human rights standards in all its institutions.