Foreign Affairs and International Development

Tim Farron Excerpts

Tuesday 15th May 2012 Commons Chamber

[Mr Hague]

I am going to conclude my speech in a few minutes’ time, but I will give way to my hon. Friend the Member for Westmorland and Lonsdale (Tim Farron) and then to the hon. Member for Brighton, Pavilion (Caroline Lucas), who speaks for the Green party.

[Tim Farron (Westmorland and Lonsdale) (LD)]

My right hon. Friend is generous. He refers to the conflict between the north and south in Sudan, but this is not an equal match at all. It is the populations of the Nuba mountains who are being targeted by the Sudanese Government. Many of them are innocent people living in villages and there is not the slightest evidence of their participating in military activity. What are the Government doing to make it absolutely certain that the Sudanese Government know that they are condemned by all civilised people for their victimisation of the Nuba people in particular?

[Mr Hague]

We are very clear about that, and we have been very clear with both Governments—in Khartoum and in Juba—about recent events. Frankly, both have been at fault in various ways. Our ambassador in Khartoum has been clear to the Sudanese, and I met a South Sudanese delegation here two weeks ago and was clear about the message. We agreed a common position of the whole United Nations Security Council, spelling out to both countries the consequences of conflict and the actions, including sanctions, that would be taken by the UN if they went further into conflict. That includes the issue that my hon. Friend talked about. I will give way one last time, but then I will conclude my speech.