Asked by: Douglas Alexander (Labour - Paisley and Renfrewshire South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what his policy is on extending the deadline for agreeing a P5+1 comprehensive nuclear deal with Iran.
Answered by Lord Hague of Richmond
The UK, like the rest of the E3+3, remains strongly committed to reaching a comprehensive agreement with Iran by 20 July. The Geneva interim deal is renewable by mutual consent. It is important that Iran addresses our concerns and agrees to limit its nuclear activity without delay.
Asked by: Douglas Alexander (Labour - Paisley and Renfrewshire South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his EU counterparts on progress on the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement.
Answered by Lord Hague of Richmond
The March European Council held an in depth discussion on the situation in Ukraine, and the political chapters of the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement were signed on 21 March. At the March European Council the EU and Member States also restated their commitment to signing the remainder of the Association Agreement with Ukraine.
The 14 April and 15 May Foreign Affairs Committees agreed Conclusions which reiterated the EU's commitment to sign the remaining provisions of the Association Agreement, including the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area, as soon as possible after the presidential elections which took place on 25 May.
Asked by: Douglas Alexander (Labour - Paisley and Renfrewshire South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he is taking to ensure that the remaining states who have not yet ratified the Arms Trade Treaty do so.
Answered by Lord Hague of Richmond
We will work to encourage states to sign and to ratify, in order to reach the 50 ratifications that are required to bring the Treaty into force. Like the negotiations on the Treaty itself, this will take time and require the considerable efforts and persistence of a broad coalition of supporters.
The UK has allocated £350,000 to support projects that will help countries to sign, ratify and implement the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT). We are working through the UN and EU with countries that require technical assistance and advice on how to implement certain aspects of the Treaty e.g. enforcement training and framing legislation correctly. Other activities include raising awareness with key partners in regions such as West Africa, where communities are seriously affected by the illicit trade in Small Arms.
This year, through the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's counter-proliferation programme, we will be funding a series of ATT-related projects specifically focused on ATT signature, ratification, implementation and early entry into force.
Asked by: Douglas Alexander (Labour - Paisley and Renfrewshire South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what reports he has received on the progress made by the Libyan government on drafting a new constitution.
Answered by Lord Hague of Richmond
The Constitution Drafting Assembly (CDA) in Libya is responsible for drafting the new constitution. The elections for the CDA took place on 20 February and Ali Tarhouni was subsequently elected as Chair of the body. Discussions are on-going to fill outstanding slots for minority groups. I welcome the recent G7 Communiqué which underscored the commitment of the international community to support the work of the CDA. The UK attends the UN Elections and Constitution coordination meetings in Libya which monitors the work of the CDA.
Whilst there is still much work to do in a challenging timescale and testing security environment, the CDA recently produced an initial programme of what they plan to include in the constitution including the main references and guiding principles. I welcome the efforts the CDA are making in developing a transparent and inclusive process which will benefit all peoples of Libya.
Asked by: Douglas Alexander (Labour - Paisley and Renfrewshire South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions the Government has had with other countries in the (a) EU and (b) UN about a potential candidate to replace the outgoing UN Special Envoy to Syria.
Answered by Lord Hague of Richmond
Since Mr Brahimi stepped down we have had discussions with the UN and with a number of EU partners about arrangements for a successor. The appointment is still under consideration by the UN Secretary General.
Asked by: Douglas Alexander (Labour - Paisley and Renfrewshire South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the prospects of achieving a UN Security Council resolution referring Syria to the International Criminal Court.
Answered by Lord Hague of Richmond
On 22 May Russia and China vetoed a resolution that would have referred the situation in Syria to the International Criminal Court, despite it having overwhelming international support, including from 13 members of the UN Security Council, 65 co-sponsors, over 100 Non-governmental organisations from across the world and the Syrian National Coalition.
Nonetheless, we need to ensure that those responsible for atrocities in Syria are held to account. Russia and China cannot indefinitely shield those responsible for horrific crimes. The UK is funding efforts to document war crimes and crimes against humanity, and we are pressing for an expansion of EU sanctions to cover those responsible.
Asked by: Douglas Alexander (Labour - Paisley and Renfrewshire South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has held with EU High Representative Catherine Ashton, regarding the EU monitoring mission to Egypt in advance of this month's presidential elections.
Answered by Lord Hague of Richmond
Baroness Ashton briefed European Union member states on the Election Observation Mission (EOM) at the April EU Foreign Affairs Council. The EU has deployed an EOM to Egypt for the presidential elections scheduled on 26-27 May 2014, in response to an invitation by the Egyptian authorities. We support this deployment.
Asked by: Douglas Alexander (Labour - Paisley and Renfrewshire South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will convene a special session of Commonwealth representatives to discuss the suitability of President Rajapaksa as Chairperson in Office.
Answered by Lord Hague of Richmond
Any decision on the Chair-in-Office role is for all Commonwealth Heads of Government to take by consensus, and we have no plans to convene a session on this. On 27 March 2014, the UN Human Rights Council passed a resolution which establishes an international investigation, and calls on the Sri Lankan government to make progress on human rights and reconciliation. We encourage the Sri Lankan government to cooperate with the resolution and the investigation, which is led by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.
Asked by: Douglas Alexander (Labour - Paisley and Renfrewshire South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent representations he has made to his Egyptian counterpart about the sentencing to death of 683 people in that country.
Answered by Lord Hague of Richmond
The British Government is deeply concerned about the sentencing to death of 683 people by a court in Minya on 28 April. I made a statement on 28 April expressing my concern over the sentences and reports that some of the defendants may not have had adequate legal representation. On 2 April, during my last meeting with Egyptian Foreign Minister Fahmy, I raised the death sentences imposed on 529 people by the same court on 24 March, and asked the Egyptian government to ensure that the defendants' human and legal rights are properly upheld. The Government will continue to raise these concerns with the Egyptian government.
Asked by: Douglas Alexander (Labour - Paisley and Renfrewshire South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what contribution the UK will make towards the EU monitoring mission to Egypt in advance of presidential elections in May 2014.
Answered by David Lidington
The European Union has deployed an Election Observation Mission (EOM) to Egypt for the presidential elections scheduled on 26-27 May 2014, in response to an invitation by the Egyptian authorities. We support this deployment and our Embassy in Cairo will contribute three members of staff as short term observers to the EOM.