Asked by: Lord Austin of Dudley (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will make a statement on the activities of the British Council in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
The British Council maintains an office in Erbil and all of the British Council's cultural relations activities in Iraq extend to the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI). This includes programmes in arts and culture, education and English. The British Council runs a free digital library service across Iraq, including KRI, and paid education services in online English teaching and face-to-face English language assessment at centres in Erbil and Sulaymaniyah.
Asked by: Margaret Ferrier (Independent - Rutherglen and Hamilton West)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations he made on (a) violations of freedom of the media and expression and (b) the cases of (i) Sherwan Sherwani, (ii) Ayaz Karam Brushki, (iii) Kohidar Mohammed Zebari and (iv) other arbitrarily detained journalists and activists when he met the President of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, Nechirvan Barzani, and his officials on 9 June 2021.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
During the Foreign Secretary's visit to the Kurdistan Region of Iraq on 9 June he raised the importance of freedom of expression, including media freedom, as well as the KRI's progress on religious tolerance and support for internally displaced people.
I have raised and continue to raise the importance of media freedom during my engagements with political leaders from the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. Our Ambassador in Baghdad, and our Consul General in Erbil, also regularly discuss these issues with their interlocutors in the Kurdistan Regional Government, and made a public statement on the detained journalists and activists in May 2021.
Asked by: Margaret Ferrier (Independent - Rutherglen and Hamilton West)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what human rights issues and cases of concern he raised when he met the President of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, Nechirvan Barzani, and his officials on 9 June 2021.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
During the Foreign Secretary's visit to the Kurdistan Region of Iraq on 9 June he raised the importance of freedom of expression, including media freedom, as well as the KRI's progress on religious tolerance and support for internally displaced people.
I have raised and continue to raise the importance of media freedom during my engagements with political leaders from the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. Our Ambassador in Baghdad, and our Consul General in Erbil, also regularly discuss these issues with their interlocutors in the Kurdistan Regional Government, and made a public statement on the detained journalists and activists in May 2021.
Asked by: Margaret Ferrier (Independent - Rutherglen and Hamilton West)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, which officials he met when he visited the Kurdistan Region of Iraq on 9 June 2021.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
The Foreign Secretary met with Nechirvan Barzani, President of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq; Qubad Talabani, Deputy Prime Minister; Minister of the Diwan, Fawzi Hariri; Vice President Jaafar Mustafa; and Vice President Mustafa Said Qadir.
Asked by: Rupa Huq (Labour - Ealing Central and Acton)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help provide long-term protection for the Kurdish communities of northern (a) Iraq and (b) Syria.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
The UK supports a strong and successful Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI) within a peaceful and prosperous Iraq. The Foreign Secretary's visit to the KRI on 9 June 2021 was the first by a Cabinet Minister since 2017. He spoke with President Barzani about the Iraq elections in October, regional security and the threat from militia groups, and highlighted our continued support to Iraq and the KRI on security sector reform.
In north east Syria, we welcome the fact that the ceasefire is broadly holding and we urge all parties to continue adherence, while pressing for a UN-led political settlement as the only long-term solution to the Syria conflict. As a leading member of the Global Coalition against Daesh, the UK continues to support both the Iraqi and Iraqi Kurdish Security Forces in maintaining capacity and capability to tackle the threat from Daesh. We will also maintain our significant humanitarian and early recovery support to liberated areas of Iraq and Syria, thereby helping communities recover from the brutality of life under Daesh.
Asked by: Lloyd Russell-Moyle (Labour (Co-op) - Brighton, Kemptown)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the humanitarian situation for Kurdish civilians in Northern Iraq in the context of the current Turkish military campaign which began on 24 April 2021.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
The UK is closely following the situation in northern Iraq. We welcome recent discussions between Iraqi and Turkish Defence Ministers regarding Ankara's military operations against the PKK in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. The safety of civilians is paramount and the UK continues to urge dialogue and cooperation between Iraq and Turkey to protect civilians. We respect Iraqi sovereignty, and acknowledge Turkey's security concerns regarding the PKK whilst ensuring regional security and combatting terrorism.
Asked by: Barry Sheerman (Labour (Co-op) - Huddersfield)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions his Department has had with Iraqi officials on the free speech of journalists working in the Erbil region of Iraqi Kurdistan.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
We condemn acts of intimidation against journalists and media organisations, and the suppression of information including the internet. I have raised my concerns over restrictions on media freedom in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq with the Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government, Masrour Barzani. In the last few weeks, our Ambassador in Baghdad, and our Consul General in Erbil, has also discussed these issues with their interlocutors in the Kurdistan Regional Government.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of Worcester (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the security situation in Iraqi Kurdistan following the mortar attack in Erbil on 15 February; and what assistance they are providing to the Kurdistan Regional Government (1) to investigate, and (2) to hold accountable, those responsible for the attack.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We recognise the security threat against Western interests posed by militia groups seeking to sow instability across Iraq, including Iraqi Kurdistan. Although a militia group claimed responsibility for the attack, we have committed to supporting the Kurdistan Regional Government and the Government of Iraq in investigating the attack and holding accountable those responsible.
Asked by: Lord Austin of Dudley (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of who is responsible for the rocket attacks in Erbil on 15 February.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Government of Iraq (GoI) and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) are urgently investigating circumstances around the rocket attacks in the vicinity of Erbil Airport on 15 February. Although publicly claimed by a militia group called Awliya al-Dam (Guardians of the Blood), investigations are still ongoing. The UK has committed along with the US, France, Germany, and Italy to support the GoI's and KRG's efforts, with a view to holding accountable those responsible.
Asked by: Robert Halfon (Conservative - Harlow)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the long-term effect on (a) UK foreign policy and (b) bilateral relations with the Kurdistan Region of the 1991 decision to initiate a safe haven and no-fly zone over the Kurdistan Region.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
UNSCR 688, and the subsequent initiation of no-fly zones over the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI) represented a historic moment for Iraqi Kurds, and for the UK-KRI partnership. The no-fly zones provided a crucial security umbrella to protect the Kurdish people, and to promote stability in the region.
In the years since, we have further strengthened our relationship with the KRI. Many of their interests and values align with our own: a belief in diversity, tolerance, and publicly stated commitment to preventing extremism are some examples. The UK will continue to play its part in supporting the Kurdistan Region of Iraq to build a more peaceful, more prosperous future.