Asked by: Tom Tugendhat (Conservative - Tonbridge and Malling)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he is taking to (a) support the introduction of an observed ceasefire and (b) increase aid to displaced adults and children in the Idlib enclave, Syria.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
We are deeply concerned about the situation in Idlib, North West Syria, as a result of the ongoing offensive by the Syrian regime and Russia. We are calling on all parties to adhere to previously agreed ceasefires and abide by their obligations under International Humanitarian Law and relevant UN Security Council resolutions, particularly UN Security Council resolution 2254, which calls for a nationwide ceasefire as part of a political process to end the conflict. We have repeatedly raised the issue at the UN Security Council, and called an emergency session on Idlib on 6 February.
In financial year 2019/20, the Department for International Development allocated £118 million to projects implemented by organisations delivering aid cross-border primarily into North West Syria, including Idlib. This support has helped to provide hundreds of thousands of vulnerable people with food, clean water, shelter and healthcare, including mental health support. UK aid is helping to support protection of civilians in Idlib, including an early warning system to alert civilians of airstrikes and support to emergency search and rescue teams.
Asked by: Tom Tugendhat (Conservative - Tonbridge and Malling)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will publish the (a) dates and (b) length of the phone conversations he had held with Aung San Suu Kyi since 25 August 2017.
Answered by Mark Field
The Foreign Secretary spoke with State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi on 7 and 14 September and on 21 October. The FCO does not record the length of phone calls but all were substantial conversations.
Asked by: Tom Tugendhat (Conservative - Tonbridge and Malling)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether the Minister of State for Asia and the Pacific (a) requested and (b) held a one-to-one meeting with Aung San Suu Kyi during his visit to Burma in November 2017.
Answered by Mark Field
Embassy officials explored the possibility of a one-on-one meeting with State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi during the ASEM Conference on 20-21 November 2017 but this was not possible. However, the Minister of State addressed her directly in his ASEM speeches, and held meetings with senior Burmese ministers, including the Minister of Defence U Sein Win, the State Counsellor's Chief of Staff U Kyaw Tin Swe and the Deputy Foreign Minister U Kyaw Tin.
Asked by: Tom Tugendhat (Conservative - Tonbridge and Malling)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, on what dates he has held telephone conversations with Aung San Suu Kyi since 25 August 2017; and what the length was of each such conversation.
Answered by Mark Field
The Foreign Secretary spoke with State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi on 7 and 14 September and on 21 October. All were substantial conversations.
Asked by: Tom Tugendhat (Conservative - Tonbridge and Malling)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether the Minister of State for Asia and the Pacific (a) requested and (b) held a one-to-one meeting with Aung San Suu Kyi during his visit to Burma in November 2017.
Answered by Mark Field
Embassy officials explored the possibility of a one-on-one meeting with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi during the ASEM Conference on 20-21 November 2017 but this was not possible. However, the Minister of State addressed her directly in his ASEM speeches, and held meetings with senior Burmese ministers, including the Minister of Defence U Sein Win, the State Counsellor’s Chief of Staff U Kyaw Tin Swe and the Deputy Foreign Minister U Kyaw Tin.