Asked by: Rosie Duffield (Independent - Canterbury)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representation he has made to his counterpart in the US Administration on its decision to withdraw American troops from Syria.
Answered by Alistair Burt
The Foreign Secretary spoke with United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on 19 December with regard to President Trump's decision, and senior officials have remained in close contact with their US counterparts over the Christmas period.
Asked by: Rosie Duffield (Independent - Canterbury)
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 his Turkish counterpart on the imprisonment of Joe Robinson.
Answered by Alan Duncan
We are doing all we can to support Mr Robinson. I have raised his case with my counterpart, and also raised it with the Turkish Foreign Minister when I visited last year. Mr Robinson has also had consular support since his arrest. Consular staff visited Mr Robinson while he was in detention, to check on his welfare and arranged prison visits for his mother. We have continued to offer Mr Robinson consular support since his conditional release in November.
Asked by: Rosie Duffield (Independent - Canterbury)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make representations to his US counterpart on that country's recent announcements on the International Criminal Court.
Answered by Mark Field
The US is clear on our position on the International Criminal Court (ICC). The ICC has our support in pursuing the mandate it was given under the Rome statute and we continue to support international criminal justice and accountability at the national or international level. The Foreign Secretary raised the ICC with US Secretary of State Pompeo recently and highlighted the UK’s ongoing support for international criminal justice and accountability.
Asked by: Rosie Duffield (Independent - Canterbury)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make representations to his US counterpart urging him to (a) reassess his attitude towards the International Criminal Court and (b) recognise that the prosecution of war criminals is an important duty for all states.
Answered by Alan Duncan
The International Criminal Court has our full support in pursuing the mandate it was given under the Rome statute.
Asked by: Rosie Duffield (Independent - Canterbury)
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 effect of the decision of the US Administration to close the Palestine Liberation Organization's mission in Washington on the Middle East Peace Process.
Answered by Alistair Burt
The US' decision to close the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) office in Washington is a matter for the US Administration. The UK remains committed to achieving a two-state solution, with Jerusalem as a shared capital. We continue to believe that the best way to achieve this is through negotiations between the Israelis and Palestinians, and for all parties to focus on steps that are conducive to peace.
Asked by: Rosie Duffield (Independent - Canterbury)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, with reference to recent criticism of the International Criminal Court by the US and Israel, if he will reaffirm the UK's commitment to it.
Answered by Harriett Baldwin - Shadow Minister (Business and Trade)
Support for international criminal justice and accountability – at the national or international level - is a fundamental element of our foreign policy. We have always been clear that the International Criminal Court can play an important role in ending impunity for the most serious international crimes. It has our full support in pursuing the mandate it was given under the Rome Statute.
Asked by: Rosie Duffield (Independent - Canterbury)
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 effect of the decision of the US Administration to close the Palestine Liberation Organization's mission in Washington on the Middle East Peace Process.
Answered by Alistair Burt
The US' decision to close the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) office in Washington is a matter for the US Administration. The UK remains committed to achieving a two-state solution, with Jerusalem as a shared capital. We continue to believe that the best way to achieve this is through negotiations between the Israelis and Palestinians, and for all parties to focus on steps that are conducive to peace.
Asked by: Rosie Duffield (Independent - Canterbury)
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 his Iranian counterpart on the death sentence imposed on Ramin Hossein Panahi.
Answered by Alistair Burt
The British Government is firmly opposed to the death penalty in all circumstances and in every country, including Iran, especially in cases which do not meet the minimum standards defined by the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. We have made this clear to Iran, both in public and in private. Most recently, I discussed human rights including the use of the death penalty when I met with my Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araghchi in Tehran on 1 September.