Asked by: Julie Cooper (Labour - Burnley)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to improve dialogue and communication between (a) Israel and Hamas, (b) Israel and the Palestinian Authority and (c) the Palestinian Authority and Hamas.
Answered by Alistair Burt
We encourage both Israel and the Palestinian Authority (PA) to take steps that rebuild trust and improve dialogue and communication which is crucial for negotiations to succeed. But whilst we and partners are doing all we can, ultimately peace will only come through fresh negotiations between the parties. The UK’s longstanding policy on reconciliation between the PA and Hamas is clear. We support the Palestinian people in realising self-determination through an independent, sovereign, and unified Palestinian state, in the West Bank and Gaza. We welcome Egyptian efforts to facilitate the return of the legitimate PA to Gaza, including enabling the recent PA Ministers’ visit to Gaza. We encourage those involved in the process to engage in good faith, allowing the PA to fully resume its government functions in Gaza, and ensuring compliance with the Quartet Principles.
Asked by: Julie Cooper (Labour - Burnley)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to end the blockade of the Gaza strip by Israel.
Answered by Alistair Burt
There is an urgent need to address the troubling situation in Gaza. I visited Gaza on 21 August and saw the extent of this firsthand. Ultimately, Hamas' decision to embrace violence and reject the Quartet Principles lies at the heart of the Gazan tragedy. We need a durable agreement that addresses the underlying causes of the conflict and transforms the situation in Gaza.
We welcome the steps that Israel has taken to ease some restrictions. However, we want to see Israel go much further and we are continuing to call on Israel to do so. We continue to stress to the Israeli authorities the damage that their restrictions are doing to the living standards of ordinary Palestinians in Gaza and that supporting legal trade for Gazans is firmly in Israel's long-term interests.
Asked by: Julie Cooper (Labour - Burnley)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to support discussions with Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, the Commander in Chief of the Myanmar armed forces on ending the situation in Rakhine state.
Answered by Mark Field
We have not had direct discussions with the Commander in Chief. The Foreign Secretary spoke with State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi on 7 September. He raised our concerns about the continuing violence, the need for any allegations of human rights abuses to be investigated and for humanitarian access to be granted to affected communities. We continue to raise our concerns with the Burmese authorities.
Asked by: Julie Cooper (Labour - Burnley)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent meetings his Department has had with the UK Ambassador to the UK on the situation in Rakhine State, Myanmar.
Answered by Mark Field
We have a regular dialogue with the Burmese Ambassador and others at the Burmese Embassy in London on a range of issues including the situation in Rakhine. The Minister for Asia and the Pacific spoke to the Ambassador on 18 September about the situation in Rakhine and other matters.
Asked by: Julie Cooper (Labour - Burnley)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to support the ceasefire offered by the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army to the Myanmar Government in order to allow humanitarian relief to enter Rakhine.
Answered by Mark Field
We note the ceasefire offered by the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army to the Burmese Government, and the response of the Government spokesperson. We continue to have discussions with the Burmese Government on the situation in Rakhine. The UK’s immediate priority is to ensure humanitarian access is provided to those in desperate need. That is why the UK has released a further£5 million from existing funds to provide additional critical life-saving assistance – such as food, shelter, water and sanitation to those who are fleeing the violence.
Asked by: Julie Cooper (Labour - Burnley)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations his Department has made to the Myanmar Government on the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army ceasefire.
Answered by Mark Field
We note the ceasefire offered by the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army to the Burmese Government, and the response of the Government spokesperson. We continue to have discussions with the Burmese Government on the situation in Rakhine. The Foreign Secretary spoke to State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi about the issue on 17 September and our Ambassador raised these issues frequently.
The UK's immediate priority is to ensure humanitarian access is provided to those in desperate need. That is why the UK has released a further £5 million from existing funds to provide additional critical life-saving assistance – such as food, shelter, water and sanitation to those who are fleeing the violence.
Asked by: Julie Cooper (Labour - Burnley)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to support the authorities in Bangladesh in taking refuges from Rakhine State, Myanmar.
Answered by Mark Field
The UK is the largest bilateral donor in Bangladesh supporting displaced Rohingya refugees and the vulnerable communities which host them. DFID has allocated £20.9 million for responding to humanitarian needs between 2017 and 2022. Via this programme, the UK will deliver support through a joint UN programme and through the NGO Action Contre la Faim. I have spoken with my Ministerial opposite number on these issues on 12 September.
In response to the latest violence, the UK has released a further £5 million from existing funds to provide additional critical life-saving assistance – such as food, shelter, water and sanitation to those who are fleeing the violence.
Asked by: Julie Cooper (Labour - Burnley)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what sanctions the Government has implemented as a result of human rights abuses in Myanmar.
Answered by Mark Field
The UK continues rigorously to impose measures under the EU Arms Embargo. These restrictive measures prohibit the supply of equipment or provision of any training which might strengthen the Burmese military's combat capability.
Asked by: Julie Cooper (Labour - Burnley)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps his Department has taken to prepare for a potential humanitarian intervention and assistance mission in Myanmar.
Answered by Mark Field
The Foreign Secretary most recently spoke with State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi on 17 September. He once again raised our concerns about the continuing violence, the need for any allegations of human rights abuses to be investigated and for humanitarian access to be granted to affected communities. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, made a statement at the 36th session of the Human Rights Council on 11 September which made clear that the UK strongly condemned all violence in Rakhine State and called on all parties to de-escalate tensions and address the humanitarian crisis. Pursuant to the strategy setout in my response to the Urgent Question on 5 September we have also called for a further meeting at the UN Security Council on 13 September which will discuss how humanitarian access can be improved on the ground in Rakhine State.
The UK has long been one of the biggest contributors of humanitarian aid for the displaced population in Rakhine State. We have provided over £30 million in humanitarian assistance since 2012, including food and sanitation for over 126,000 people. In the current context, access to the worst affected populations is seriously constrained. We are working at the highest levels with the government, other donors and the UN to improve access and ensure that aid reaches those that need it most. The UK has also committed £10.9 million to meet the needs of displaced Rohingya and the host communities who support them in Bangladesh. Of this, £5m has already been released to provide critical life-saving assistance – such as food, shelter, water and sanitation to those who are fleeing the violence.