Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of diplomatic initiatives to prevent further violence between government forces and ethnic military groups in Karen and Rakhine states in Myanmar.

I set out UK concerns on the recent increase in violence in Rakhine State between the Burmese military and the Arakan Army in a statement on 18 January. We regularly raise concerns with the Burmese regime about conflicts in Burma, calling on all parties to cease fighting and allow access for humanitarian aid. International attention and diplomatic initiatives can play a role in limiting violence and promoting responsible conduct but an agreed peace settlement is the best way to bring about a sustainable end to violence. The UK will continue to support the peace process in Burma.