Monday 20th May 2013

(10 years, 12 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Lord Hague of Richmond Portrait Mr Hague
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Yes. As I mentioned, £30 million of that assistance is for communities inside Syria, if we, NGOs and others can get it to them—that concern is partly to do with the issue about which we were talking a moment ago. We absolutely want to get the assistance to all concerned and we will raise that point at the forthcoming conference.

Henry Smith Portrait Henry Smith (Crawley) (Con)
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Given our upcoming presidency of the UN Security Council, what discussions have been held about the option of a no-fly zone over Syria?

Lord Hague of Richmond Portrait Mr Hague
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There is no agreement in the UN Security Council on those options. My hon. Friend knows that Russia and China have vetoed much less radical resolutions and an effort at the UN to introduce a no-fly zone would meet the same vetoes. It must also be said that the great majority of the weaponry being used against the people of Syria is not delivered from the air, so there are fundamental problems with such a proposition.