Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent reports his Department has received on events in Turkey; and what assessment his Department has made of the effect of the coup attempt in that country on the stability of the Middle East.

The Government remains closely engaged with events in Turkey. The Prime Minister, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Maidenhead (Mrs May) spoke to President Erdogan on 18 July; the Foreign Secretary, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Uxbridge and South Ruislip (Mr Johnson) spoke to Foreign Minister Cavusoglu on 16 July; and I visited Turkey on 20 and 21 July and met with the Prime Minister, Foreign Minister and others. We continue to receive regular reports from HM Ambassador in Ankara and Embassy officials.

We condemn the attempted coup. We call for the full observance of Turkey’s constitution and stress the importance of the rule of law prevailing in the wake of this failed coup.

We continue to consider the policy implications of developments in Turkey as the situation there evolves.