Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the implications for his policies of Syria re-entering the Arab League.

The UK's fundamental assessment remains unchanged. Engaging Assad in the absence of any evidence that his regime will change its behaviour will not help Syrians or the region. We therefore did not support Syria's readmission to the Arab League in current circumstances.

The UK will maintain its policy of non-engagement until the regime engages meaningfully in the UN political process and shows sustained commitment to substantively changing its behaviour. We will continue to encourage our Arab partners that any further engagement with the regime is staggered and supportive of the conditions set out in UNSCR 2254.