China: Freedom of Religion and Belief
Debate between Baroness Goldie and Baroness Hussein-Ece
Baroness Goldie
It was interesting that China felt it appropriate to hold its three-hour briefing on Friday. I can only surmise that China felt it important to explain to the broader international community what was happening. China is an important global presence and it wants to be a respected global power, but fundamental to seeking that respect is the tangible and visible implementation and observation of human rights, and respect for them.
Baroness Hussein-Ece (LD)
My Lords, the noble Lord on the Benches opposite asked which Muslim countries had called for the closing of these camps. Turkey called for these camps to be closed down on 10 February, when the Turkish President said that it shamed humanity that these camps existed. Do the British Government agree?
Baroness Goldie
The British Government have made clear to China our profound concern about these camps. We have sought detailed information, so far as we are able to get it, and have expressed profound concern about China’s response to what it claims is an attempt to deal with security and terrorism issues. We have pointed out to the Chinese authorities that all evidence suggests that they are taking disproportionate, indiscriminate measures in response which risk being counter-productive in the longer term.
Jamal Khashoggi
Debate between Baroness Goldie and Baroness Hussein-Ece
Baroness Goldie
The noble Lord gives wise counsel. Saudi Arabia is the United Kingdom’s second largest trading partner in the Middle East. Indeed, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates together are the UK’s second biggest export market outside Europe, after the United States. Let me make it clear that it is that strong bilateral relationship with Saudi Arabia which means that we can—and do—discuss a wide range of issues frankly and openly with it. I share the noble Lord’s view: these conversations are most effective when they are held privately.
Baroness Hussein-Ece (LD)
My Lords, the Minister said that there have been some discussions. Has there been any explanation why a man, Jamal Khashoggi, who had already expressed fear for his life and had been critical of the Saudi regime walked into an embassy and never came out? There is footage of him going in; no footage has been produced of him coming out. In fact, there are now reports that he went to the embassy in Washington for the papers he required because he wanted to get married, and he was directed to the embassy in Istanbul. Obviously, we do not have proof yet, but it seems that he was lured there. What robust discussion is taking place to say that it is simply unacceptable for a journalist to walk into an embassy and just not come out again?
Baroness Goldie
I repeat what I said: at the meeting this morning, the message was conveyed to the Saudi Arabian ambassador that we are very concerned about the reports—essentially, media reports—that we have heard. We have called on Saudi Arabia to support a thorough investigation. We need to find out what has happened. Saudi Arabia is obviously well placed to contribute to that investigation. We have also made it clear to Saudi Arabia not only that we want that investigation to be undertaken and that it must be robust and thorough, but that we want it to share the outcome. People understandably wish to know what has happened.
Brexit: Northern Cyprus
Debate between Baroness Goldie and Baroness Hussein-Ece(7 years, 2 months ago)
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Baroness Goldie
The United Kingdom, along with Greece and Turkey and the two communities on the island, not to mention other global partners, is concerned about the situation as it now exists. The UK is very keen to support confidence-building measures between the two communities. Frankly, the only way forward on this is for the two communities to come to an agreement on how best to take forward the objective of a united Cyprus.
Lord Harris of Haringey (Lab)
My Lords, the Minister made it quite clear in her Answer that she thought that the solution lay with the two communities on the island. Can she confirm that that is the case? Clearly, one problem with relations in terms of the Turkish Cypriots is that this remains an illegal occupation following an invasion some 40 years ago. Can the Minister tell us what is, or should be, being done to stop the frustration of these talks by, on the Greek Cypriot side, diaspora who no longer live on the island and, on the Turkish Cypriot side, the influence of the Turkish Government?
Myanmar: Rohingya People
Debate between Baroness Goldie and Baroness Hussein-Ece
Baroness Goldie
I thank the noble Lord, Lord Alton, who as usual speaks with authority and knowledge on these matters. He raises a very important point, but I do not have a specific answer as to when an initiative has been undertaken by the UK Government in that respect. The noble Lord makes a positive observation, and I will certainly undertake to investigate that further.
Baroness Hussein-Ece (LD)
My Lords, I have listened carefully to the Minister’s responses. She used the word “condemnation” in a previous answer, and that is the first time I have heard that. Have the Government officially condemned the actions, which are being described as genocide and ethnic cleansing, and the appalling scenes that we are witnessing, on social media and our TV screens, of families and children being driven out in the most horrible circumstances, thousands dying and villages being burnt down? I have heard her say we are sensitive about the transition from military to democracy, but surely there is no excuse for these actions in that transition.
Baroness Goldie
I reassure the noble Baroness that, after the violence broke out on 25 August, the UK immediately spoke out. We issued a joint Foreign and Commonwealth Office and DfID statement. We are monitoring the situation through our embassy in Rangoon, and we raised the current situation in Rakhine in the UN Security Council on 30 August. In addition to that, our ambassador has lobbied the Burmese Government, our high commissioner in Dhaka has discussed the situation with the Government of Bangladesh and on 2 September the Foreign Secretary released a statement calling for an end to the violence, so I think the UK is clearly on the record as making obvious to those involved our profound unease at what is going on. We condemn this violence and, along with other partners, are trying to look to ways both to assist Burma and to assist the plight of those who are directly affected.
Turkey: Death Penalty
Debate between Baroness Goldie and Baroness Hussein-Ece
Baroness Goldie
As I indicated to my noble friend Lord Balfe, the United Kingdom Government’s position on the death penalty is crystal clear and widely known and understood. I have also indicated that Council of Europe members seem to be unanimous in their opposition to the death penalty. It would be for the Council of Europe membership to determine how to respond if—it is an “if”—Turkey went down the undesirable road of reintroducing the death penalty. However, I think that Turkey understands that that would jeopardise its position within the Council of Europe.
Baroness Hussein-Ece (LD)
My Lords, what discussions or representations have been made about the detention of Amnesty International’s Turkish director and the sheer number of journalists—quite an unprecedented number—being detained in Turkey? Is the Minister aware that the mass demonstration last Sunday of hundreds of thousands of Turks of all colours, and all political backgrounds and none, shows that there is a strong movement in Turkey to bring the country back to a more plural and democratic state than we see it in?
Baroness Goldie
I thank the noble Baroness, who raises three important issues. We share concerns about the detention of the chair of Amnesty International, Taner Kiliç, and that of other lawyers. I am pleased that staff in the embassy in Ankara and the consulate in Istanbul met Amnesty International staff in June to express their support. The Foreign Secretary raised Mr Kiliç’s detention directly with the Turkish Foreign Minister recently, and our embassy in Ankara, including our ambassador, has also raised that matter at a senior level with the Turkish authorities. We also share the noble Baroness’s concerns about the detention of Idil Eser, the director of Amnesty International Turkey. The Prime Minister raised with President Erdogan at the G20 summit the issue of Idil Eser, also emphasising the importance of fundamental rights and the rule of law. This final point of the noble Baroness’s question referred to freedom of expression. Yes, of course we support that; we are concerned about the actions against Turkey’s oldest independent newspaper and against two journalists working for it, and we strongly encourage Turkey to protect freedom of expression. We feel that respect for the freedom of the media is essential for the long-term health of Turkish democracy.