Asked by: Stewart Malcolm McDonald (Scottish National Party - Glasgow South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his counterpart in Ukraine on Russia's attempts to reverse all unilateral measures that undermine the Minsk agreements.
Answered by Wendy Morton
During the Foreign Secretary's meeting with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba on 7 October, he reaffirmed the UK's commitment to supporting Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity. The UK has been clear on the importance of finding a diplomatic solution to the conflict in eastern Ukraine. We support the Minsk agreements and the work of Germany and France within the Normandy Format. The Russian Federation has taken unilateral steps which undermine Ukrainian sovereignty and run contrary to both the letter and the spirit of the Minsk agreements. We continue to call on Russia to fulfil the commitments it has made under the Minsk agreements and to use its undeniable influence on the armed formations it backs in eastern Ukraine to ensure they do likewise.
Asked by: Stewart Malcolm McDonald (Scottish National Party - Glasgow South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with (a) independent media, (b) human rights organisations and (c) community groups in Belarus on the UK's direct support to civil society and independent media in Belarus.
Answered by Wendy Morton
The UK is committed to defending and developing civil society and media freedoms in Belarus. We have doubled our financial support to civil society, with £1.5 million in project funding over the next two years. We are working with partners on reform for vulnerable people in Belarus, including working through UN agencies, to promote the economic empowerment of women. We are supporting and training independent media organisations. On 16 November the Foreign Secretary paid tribute to the courageous work undertaken by journalists by awarding the inaugural Canada-UK Media Freedom award to the Belarusian Association of Journalists (BAJ). Representatives of independent media and the human rights group, Viasna, briefed the FCDO Permanent Under Secretary on 13 November. FCDO officials continue to engage with Human Rights Watch on the situation in Belarus.
Asked by: Stewart Malcolm McDonald (Scottish National Party - Glasgow South)
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 his international counterparts on allegations of detained protestors being tortured in Belarus.
Answered by Wendy Morton
The UK is deeply concerned by the reports of torture, cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment or punishment that have taken place in Belarus. The UK led sixteen partners in triggering the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Moscow Mechanism investigation into the allegations of human rights violations in Belarus. The subsequent report concludes that human rights violations have occurred on a massive and systematic scale. The UK has repeatedly raised its concerns directly with the Belarusian authorities. On, 9 December HMA Minsk joined EU, US and Swiss counterparts in a meeting with the Belarusian Foreign Minister and called on the authorities to end impunity, investigate allegations of torture and mistreatment and allow access to the detention centres for international observers. We have raised our concerns in the UN General Assembly, the UN Human Rights Council and at the OSCE, including a UK-hosted side event on Belarus at the OSCE Ministerial meeting on 3 December, where the Belarusian Association of Journalists and human rights organisations Viasna and Civil Solidarity briefed international delegations.
Asked by: Stewart Malcolm McDonald (Scottish National Party - Glasgow South)
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 counterparts in (a) Russia and (b) the US on reports that the Russian Government allegedly offered to pay bounties to Taliban-linked fighters to kill US and UK troops in Afghanistan.
Answered by Wendy Morton
We do not comment on intelligence matters. We regularly discuss with NATO allies our responses to potential threats from Russia and as fellow Permanent Members of the UN Security Council, we engage directly with Russia on matters of international peace and security, including Afghanistan.
Asked by: Stewart Malcolm McDonald (Scottish National Party - Glasgow South)
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 counterparts in (a) the US Administration and (b) the International Criminal Court on the US sanctions on the International Criminal Court.
Answered by Nigel Adams
The UK has always been, and remains, a strong supporter of an effective International Criminal Court (ICC). While we believe that positive reform is required for the ICC to fulfil its mandate as intended under the Rome Statute - and we are working with the Court and other States Parties to achieve this, we also believe that Court officials must be able to carry out their work independently and impartially, without fear of sanction. We continue to speak to our international partners on these issues.
Asked by: Stewart Malcolm McDonald (Scottish National Party - Glasgow South)
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 potential implications for his policies of US sanctions on the International Criminal Court.
Answered by Nigel Adams
The UK has always been, and remains, a strong supporter of an effective International Criminal Court (ICC). While we believe that positive reform is required for the ICC to fulfil its mandate as intended under the Rome Statute - and we are working with the Court and other States Parties to achieve this, we also believe that Court officials must be able to carry out their work independently and impartially, without fear of sanction.
Asked by: Stewart Malcolm McDonald (Scottish National Party - Glasgow South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of sanctions against PMC Wagner, its founder Dmitry Utkin, and businessman Yevgeniy Prigozhin.
Answered by Wendy Morton
The UK is concerned about the reporting of Russia's alleged use of mercenaries and other proxy actors globally, and we continue to look into and consider this activity. There are currently no EU or UK sanctions on these individuals or entities. During the Transition Period, EU sanctions will continue to apply in the UK and we will look to carry over existing EU Russia sanctions, at the end of this period.
Asked by: Stewart Malcolm McDonald (Scottish National Party - Glasgow South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when he plans to publish outcome of his Department's review of the Government's strategy on the protection of civilians in armed conflict.
Answered by Heather Wheeler
The Government is finalising work on the review of its approach to the Protection of Civilians (PoC) in Armed Conflict. We were unable to meet the previously stated publication date as we were required to adhere to the rules governing the publication of documentation in the run up to the December 2019 General Election. We will aim to publish a document outlining the Government's approach to the PoC by the end of April 2020
Asked by: Stewart Malcolm McDonald (Scottish National Party - Glasgow South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether he plans to make an assessment of the current effectiveness of the Budapest Memorandum.
Answered by Christopher Pincher
In the Budapest Memorandum, in return for Ukraine giving up its nuclear weapons, Russia joined the United Kingdom and the United States in reaffirming their obligation to "refrain from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of Ukraine, and that none of their weapons will ever be used against Ukraine except in self-defence or otherwise in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations." Russia is in clear breach of those commitments as well as a number of other international obligations and commitments, including under the UN Charter and the OSCE Helsinki Final Act.
The United Kingdom remains willing to engage on the basis of the Budapest Memorandum and in March 2014 the then Foreign Secretary took part in a Budapest format ministerial meeting. Russia refused to take part in that meeting, and has continued to refuse to engage despite the Budapest Memorandum committing them to such talks.
We remain strong and active supporters of Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity. This includes building the resilience and capacity of the Ukrainian armed forces through Operation Orbital, and playing a leading role in maintaining sanctions against Russia.
Asked by: Stewart Malcolm McDonald (Scottish National Party - Glasgow South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether his Department has taken steps to verify reports that white phosphorus used in attacks in north-east Syria originated from white phosphorus sales from the UK to Turkey; and if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of stopping white phosphorus sales under existing licences to that country.
Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
The allegations that white phosphorus has intentionally been used against civilians are extremely worrying and it is important that the full facts are established. The UK wants to see a swift, and thorough, investigation by the UN Commission of Inquiry on Syria into these allegations. White phosphorus is not classified as a chemical weapon and is in itself is not subject to export controls, but it must be used in accordance with International Humanitarian Law. The Government is considering the licensing position in the light of recent developments in Syria and no further export licences for Turkey of items that might be used in military operations in Syria will be granted while we do so.