Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment his Department has made of the availability of (a) food, (b) medicine and (c) energy supplies in Nagorno Karabakh; and whether his Department plans to help support international agencies to provide critical supplies to people in the region.
Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
The UK Government closely monitors the humanitarian situation in Nagorno-Karabakh, and where we have concerns we have prominently highlighted them both in private engagements with our counterparts in the region, and publicly through the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe and the United Nations Security Council. The UK has a strong record of supporting humanitarian responses in this region and FCDO officials are in close contact with humanitarian agencies about the situation on the ground. The START FUND, a humanitarian response fund to which the UK is a significant donor, has allocated £350,000 to the region to support those affected by the closure of the Lachin Corridor.
Mentions:
1: Giles Watling (CON - Clacton) What recent assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the ongoing Nagorno-Karabakh - Speech Link
2: Leo Docherty (CON - Aldershot) There is no military solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. - Speech Link
3: Carol Monaghan (SNP - Glasgow North West) In Nagorno-Karabakh, the humanitarian situation is deteriorating rapidly. - Speech Link
4: James Cleverly (CON - Braintree) She makes an important point about the difficulties in getting humanitarian aid to people in the midst - Speech Link
5: David Duguid (CON - Banff and Buchan) With reference to Nagorno-Karabakh, what steps has the Department taken to support the territorial integrity - Speech Link
Asked by: Lord Bishop of Southwark (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 31 January (HL4816), what consideration they have given to increasing the £350,000 given in aid to the Start Fund for Nagorno-Karabakh due to the ongoing blockade of (1) food, and (2) medicine, caused by the closure of the Lachin corridor.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Officials continue to discuss the developing situation in the region with humanitarian partners. In 2020, the UK Government was the first to respond to the outbreak of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and allocate £1 million to the International Committee of the Red Cross and, should further requests come in in relation to the Lachin Corridor, we will consider accordingly. At this time we have received no additional requests for funds from humanitarian organisations.
Mentions:
1: Rupa Huq (IND - Ealing Central and Acton) situation in Nagorno-Karabakh. - Speech Link
2: Leo Docherty (CON - Aldershot) We seek a return to negotiation and a peaceful settlement to the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh. - Speech Link
3: Rupa Huq (IND - Ealing Central and Acton) also seen human rights organisations making claims of extrajudicial killings and abuse of prisoners in Nagorno-Karabakh - Speech Link
4: James Cleverly (CON - Braintree) Our contribution is that military aid, the economic aid and reconstruction aid, but also to ensure that - Speech Link
Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking, if any, to provide humanitarian support, including the provision of (1) food, and (2) medical supplies, to the Armenian population living in the city of Stepanakert.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK Government has been clear that the closure of the Lachin corridor risks severe humanitarian consequences, particularly during winter. Officials are in contact with humanitarian agencies, including the ICRC most recently on 18 January, about their assessment of the impact of the closure and the START FUND, to which the UK is a significant donor, has allocated £350,000 to support those affected by the closure of the Lachin Corridor.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the remarks by Samantha Power, Administrator of USAID, who said that a "humanitarian catastrophe" is unfolding in Nagorno-Karabakh; and what steps they are taking urgently to enable NGOs and charities to fly humanitarian aid into the region.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK Government has been clear that the closure of the Lachin corridor risks severe humanitarian consequences, particularly during winter. Officials are in contact with humanitarian agencies, including the ICRC, about their assessment of the impact of the closure. The START FUND, to which the UK is a significant donor, has allocated £350,000 to support those affected by the closure of the Lachin Corridor. The Minister for Europe, Leo Docherty MP, issued a statement highlighting the importance of re-opening the Lachin corridor on 13 December and our Ambassadors in the region and other senior UK officials have reinforced this message with key interlocutors. We also called for early resolution of this issue in our interventions in Vienna at the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe on 15 December and in New York at the UN Security Council on 20 December.
Mentions:
1: Tim Loughton (CON - East Worthing and Shoreham) Many came across from Nagorno-Karabakh to meet us, because we were not allowed to go into Nagorno-Karabakh - Speech Link
2: Tim Loughton (CON - East Worthing and Shoreham) aid to the people of Nagorno-Karabakh, to demand that Russian forces stop blocking access for international - Speech Link
3: Jim Shannon (DUP - Strangford) remain at low levels in Nagorno-Karabakh. - Speech Link
Found: Closure of the Lachin Corridor and the humanitarian situation in Nagorno-Karabakh
Mentions:
1: Baroness Cox (CB - Life peer) My Lords, my small charity, the Humanitarian Aid Relief Trust, supports a rehabilitation centre in Karabakh - Speech Link
2: Lord Howell of Guildford (CON - Life peer) That has made it a feeble supporter in securing the position of Armenian citizens in Nagorno-Karabakh - Speech Link
3: Lord Darzi of Denham (Non-affiliated - Life peer) Food is being rationed in Nagorno-Karabakh, schools are closed because of shortages and families have - Speech Link
Mentions:
1: Fiona Bruce (CON - Congleton) the longest-suffering prisoners of conscience in the world.Also, I draw Ministers’ attention to the humanitarian - Speech Link
2: Jessica Morden (LAB - Newport East) I also send our thoughts to the Armenian population in Nagorno-Karabakh, as mentioned by the hon. - Speech Link