Asked by: Jonathan Edwards (Independent - Carmarthen East and Dinefwr)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the political and security situation in the eastern Mediterranean as a result of increased tensions between Turkey, Greece and Cyprus.
Answered by Wendy Morton - Shadow Minister (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We are concerned by the continuing instability within the Eastern Mediterranean region. We continue to urge all countries involved to de-escalate and to engage in dialogue. The Foreign Secretary raised this with the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, on 8 July. He has also discussed this with the Foreign Ministers of Germany, France and Turkey. I have raised this with my Turkish, Greek and Cypriot counterparts in recent weeks. We believe it is critical for stability in the Eastern Mediterranean that disputes are resolved through constructive dialogue in accordance with international law, including as reflected in the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.
Asked by: Jonathan Edwards (Independent - Carmarthen East and Dinefwr)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with the EU on increased tensions in the eastern Mediterranean between Turkey, Greece and Cyprus.
Answered by Wendy Morton - Shadow Minister (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We are concerned by the continuing instability within the Eastern Mediterranean region. We continue to urge all countries involved to de-escalate and to engage in dialogue. The Foreign Secretary raised this with the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, on 8 July. He has also discussed this with the Foreign Ministers of Germany, France and Turkey. I have raised this with my Turkish, Greek and Cypriot counterparts in recent weeks. We believe it is critical for stability in the Eastern Mediterranean that disputes are resolved through constructive dialogue in accordance with international law, including as reflected in the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.
Asked by: Jonathan Edwards (Independent - Carmarthen East and Dinefwr)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether his Department plans for it to remain Government policy that it should meet the poverty reduction obligations as set out in the International Development Act 2002 after his Department merges with the Department for International Development.
Answered by James Cleverly - Shadow Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office will continue to be guided by our responsibilities under the International Development Act, including a commitment to poverty reduction. The work of UK aid to reduce poverty will remain central to the new department's mission.
Asked by: Jonathan Edwards (Independent - Carmarthen East and Dinefwr)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 5 May 2020 to Question 41027 on Taliban: Peace Negotiations, what discussions he has with his German counterpart on the formation of the US negotiating position in the US-Taliban peace negotiations.
Answered by Nigel Adams
We engaged intensively with the United States, Afghan Government and our NATO allies and partners in the run-up to and throughout the bilateral talks between the US and the Taliban in Doha. The US-Taliban agreement was a positive step, but it was also the first step in a long and difficult road towards peace. Our UK diplomatic commitment is helping push towards a sustainable and inclusive peace process, the only route to lasting peace and security in Afghanistan.
Asked by: Jonathan Edwards (Independent - Carmarthen East and Dinefwr)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 5 May 2020 to Question 41027 on Taliban: Peace Negotiations, what discussions he had with his French counterpart on the formation of the US negotiating position in the US-Taliban peace negotiations.
Answered by Nigel Adams
We engaged intensively with the United States, Afghan Government and our NATO allies and partners in the run-up to and throughout the bilateral talks between the US and the Taliban in Doha. The US-Taliban agreement was a positive step, but it was also the first step in a long and difficult road towards peace. Our UK diplomatic commitment is helping push towards a sustainable and inclusive peace process, the only route to lasting peace and security in Afghanistan.
Asked by: Jonathan Edwards (Independent - Carmarthen East and Dinefwr)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 5 May 2020 to Question 41027, what discussions he had with the Secretary of General of NATO, Jens Stoltenberg, on the formation of the US negotiating position in the US-Taliban peace negotiations.
Answered by Nigel Adams
We engaged intensively with the United States, Afghan Government and our NATO allies and partners in the run-up to and throughout the bilateral talks between the US and the Taliban in Doha. The US-Taliban agreement was a positive step, but it was also the first step in a long and difficult road towards peace. Our UK diplomatic commitment is helping push towards a sustainable and inclusive peace process, the only route to lasting peace and security in Afghanistan.
Asked by: Jonathan Edwards (Independent - Carmarthen East and Dinefwr)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with his Chinese counterpart on the harassment of the West Capella, a ship operated by a UK-registered company.
Answered by Nigel Adams
The British Government's position is to oppose any action which raises tensions in the South China Sea. We regularly make this position clear to the Chinese authorities and encourage all parties, including China, to settle their disputes peacefully through the existing legal mechanisms, including the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and to uphold existing Arbitration rulings.
Asked by: Jonathan Edwards (Independent - Carmarthen East and Dinefwr)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 2 April 2020 to Question 34327 on Taliban: Peace Negotiations, what involvement he had with the formation of the US position in the US-Taliban peace negotiations.
Answered by Nigel Adams
As stated in our answer of 2 April to Question 34327, we were in close consultation and engaged intensively with the US throughout the US-Taliban talks in Doha.