Asked by: Khalid Mahmood (Labour - Birmingham, Perry Barr)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if his Department will take steps to assist in securing the release of Kamal Foroughi from Evin Prison in Iran.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
We remain very concerned about the case of dual-national Mr Kamal Foroughi. Iran does not recognise dual nationality and as such has not granted us consular access. I met his family on 1 December, and confirmed that we have raised this with the Iranian authorities on repeated occasions, urging Iran to provide regular medical assistance and access to a lawyer which are both key to securing his release. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond) raised this with Iranian Foreign Minister Zarif and President Rouhani during his visit to Iran in August. He also raised it most recently with Foreign Minister Zarif in New York at the UN General Assembly in September. The Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron) raised the case with President Rouhani during a telephone call in July, and wrote a further letter on the matter in October regarding our consular cases.Asked by: Khalid Mahmood (Labour - Birmingham, Perry Barr)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the statement of 10 July 2014 by the Secretary General of the UN on the escalating tensions between Israel and Palestine.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
We support the statement of 10 July 2014 from the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. There has now been further escalation with Israel's ground operation started on 17 July. The UK will continue working towards our three policy objectives for the Gaza crisis - to secure a ceasefire, to alleviate humanitarian suffering, and to keep alive the prospects for peace negotiations, which are the only hope of breaking this cycle of violence and devastation once and for all.
Asked by: Khalid Mahmood (Labour - Birmingham, Perry Barr)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether he has had recent discussions with the UN Secretary General on measures by the UN to de-escalate the tension between Israel and Palestine.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
I look forward to working closely with the international community, including the UN Secretary General, to help secure a de-escalation in tensions between Israel and Palestine. I fully support his call on 10 July for both sides to show maximum restraint. On 12 July the UK joined the rest of the Security Council in calling for a restoration of calm and a return to the November 2012 ceasefire. The UK stands ready to consider further action in the Security Council if that can help secure the ceasefire.
Asked by: Khalid Mahmood (Labour - Birmingham, Perry Barr)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he is taking to decrease violence between Israel and Palestine.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
I refer to the statement made by the then Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague) to the House on 14 July 2014, Official Report, columns 581 - 3.
Asked by: Khalid Mahmood (Labour - Birmingham, Perry Barr)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether he plans to visit the Middle East to assist in de-escalating the conflict between Israel and Palestine.
Answered by Hugh Robertson
The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague) has no immediate plans to visit the Middle East. However, he will continue to build contacts/meet international partners/Ministers to discuss the resolution of the conflict.