Asked by: Lord Campbell of Pittenweem (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of the United States of America regarding its review of its nuclear arms policy.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
Nuclear cooperation remains an important element of the enduring special relationship between the US and the UK. The Foreign and Defence Secretaries hold regular discussions with their US counterparts on a range of issues, including on security policy. These discussions are reflected and supported by daily cooperation at official level on arms control, nuclear deterrence policy, counter proliferation and strategic stability between the UK and the US, as well as by wider cooperation with NATO Allies. We will continue to work closely with the US on security policy, including nuclear deterrence policy.
Asked by: Lord Campbell of Pittenweem (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the decision by the Pre-Trial Chamber I of the International Criminal Court Prosecution request pursuant to article 19(3) for a ruling on the Court’s territorial jurisdiction in Palestine ICC-01/18-143 on 5 February that the "Court’s territorial jurisdiction in the Situation in Palestine extends to the territories occupied by Israel since 1967, Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem", what plans they have to reaffirm their support for the International Criminal Court and its independence.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We respect the independence of the ICC, and we expect it to exercise due prosecutorial and judicial discipline.
Asked by: Lord Campbell of Pittenweem (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of the United States about the effect of its sanctions against Iran on the return of the government of Iran to the obligations of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We welcome the prospect of a US return to the JCPoA. President-elect Biden has said that if Iran returns to compliance with the deal, the US would re-enter the agreement and seek to both strengthen it and extend it. This is an important opportunity to restart engagement between Iran and the US, and realise the objectives of the JCPoA which we support. A return to diplomacy represents the best means of bringing greater security to the region, upholding the nuclear non-proliferation regime and preventing Iran from developing a nuclear weapon. We look forward to engaging with the new administration on this issue.
Asked by: Lord Campbell of Pittenweem (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the effect of the government of the United States' sanctions against Iran in their discussions about Iran returning to the obligations of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We welcome the prospect of a US return to the JCPoA. President-elect Biden has said that if Iran returns to compliance with the deal, the US would re-enter the agreement and seek to both strengthen it and extend it. This is an important opportunity to restart engagement between Iran and the US, and realise the objectives of the JCPoA which we support. A return to diplomacy represents the best means of bringing greater security to the region, upholding the nuclear non-proliferation regime and preventing Iran from developing a nuclear weapon. We look forward to engaging with the new administration on this issue.
Asked by: Lord Campbell of Pittenweem (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Germany about the future of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline since the poisoning of Alexei Navalny.
Answered by Baroness Sugg
We are working closely with Germany, and other international partners to demonstrate that there are consequences for using banned chemical weapons anywhere in the world.
The UK remains concerned about the impact Nord Stream 2 will have on European energy security and on the interests of Ukraine. We continue to be supportive of initiatives that strengthen and diversify the supply of gas and competition across the European market. We engage regularly with our close allies and partners, including Germany, to keep them abreast of our position on the Nord Stream 2 pipeline and to discuss European energy security more broadly.
Asked by: Lord Campbell of Pittenweem (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the governments of Greece and Turkey about those governments' dispute over the territorial waters of Cyprus.
Answered by Baroness Sugg
The UK is in regular contact with Governments of Greece, Turkey, and Cyprus with regard to the ongoing tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean. Officials continue to raise issues with the parties concerned.
We believe it is critical for stability in the Mediterranean and for the integrity of the rules-based international system that tensions be reduced and that disputes be resolved through dialogue and in accordance with international law, including the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). We will continue to work with all parties in the region to that end.
Asked by: Lord Campbell of Pittenweem (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the estimated date of publication of the Integrated Review of Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Following the Chancellor's announcement that the Comprehensive Spending Review is being delayed, the Integrated Review has been paused given the pressing need to focus on COVID-19. We will return to the Integrated Review when appropriate to do so, aligned with the CSR, ensuring that we engage with all relevant stakeholders.
Asked by: Lord Campbell of Pittenweem (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the US government on facilitating the supply of humanitarian relief to the government of Iran for the treatment of Iranian citizens with COVID-19.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The? UK, along with France and Germany (the E3), have expressed their full solidarity with all impacted by? COVID-19? in Iran. We are working with the international community to ensure that Iran receives the humanitarian support it needs: the E3 have provided a EUR 5 million package of financial and material assistance to Iran via the World Health Organisation and UN bodies to help with the response. We also continue to engage the US on a range of policy matters relating to Iran, including how the international community can best support the Iranian Government's response to the COVID-19 crisis in Iran. We welcome the new US Treasury factsheet issued on 16th April summarising the humanitarian exemptions to sanctions against Iran and offering additional guidance for individuals and governments.
Asked by: Lord Campbell of Pittenweem (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the governments of Russia and the United States about extending the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, which is due to expire in February 2021.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We recognise the contribution the New START Treaty has made to international security by increasing transparency and mutual confidence amongst the two largest Nuclear Weapons States. The Treaty has delivered a reduction of strategic nuclear arsenals, enhanced notably by its robust verification mechanism. We support its continued implementation and have encouraged the US to extend New START while negotiating any successor agreement.
However, we are also clear that New START has limitations. It does not include new Russian systems. Nor does it place any limits on China's growing nuclear arsenal. We therefore see real advantage in President Trump's call for a new strategic arms control agreement including China. We urge both Russia and China to engage seriously with the US on this initiative.
The UK regularly discusses these issues with the US and Russia. We recently had discussions on strategic arms control at a meeting of the five Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) nuclear weapon states, or "P5", which took place in London on 12-13 February. At that meeting, all five states, including the US and Russia, underlined the importance of reducing nuclear risk and promoting stability, and agreed that dialogue on strategic risk reduction should continue.
Asked by: Lord Campbell of Pittenweem (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the government of China about nuclear disarmament verification.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK strongly supports effective nuclear disarmament verification as a vital step towards eventual nuclear disarmament. Nuclear disarmament verification has been regularly discussed with all five Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Nuclear Weapons States as part of the so called 'P5 process', including at the first meeting in 2009 and at a dedicated meeting in 2012, both chaired by the UK. There have also been two bilateral meetings between UK and Chinese technical institutions involved in disarmament verification research, and both China and the UK participated in the UN Group of Governmental Experts to consider the role of verification in advancing nuclear disarmament.
More broadly, the UK holds a regular Non-Proliferation Dialogue with China which allows for discussions on issues including nuclear security architecture, arms control and nuclear disarmament. The most recent Dialogue took place in November 2019 where the UK encouraged China to re-join the International Partnership for Nuclear Disarmament Verification.