Asked by: Zarah Sultana (Labour - Coventry South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether her Department has taken recent steps to help bring about a negotiated reunification of Cyprus on the basis of the bi-zonal, bi-communal federation set out in relevant UN Security Council resolutions.
Answered by Graham Stuart
I [Minister Stuart] met the Cypriot Foreign Minister in July and set out our determination to find a just and lasting settlement for the island of Cyprus.
We support the UN led process and advocate a solution in line with UN parameters based on the model of a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation with political equality.
Asked by: Zarah Sultana (Labour - Coventry South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what estimate she has made of the (a) death toll and (b) casualty rate of Turkey’s military action in the semi-autonomous Kurdistan Region of Iraq, Operation Claw Lock; what discussions she has had with her international counterparts on the compatibility of that operation with international law; whether the Government opposes that operation; and what representations she has made to the Turkish government on that operation.
Answered by Amanda Milling - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
We are following closely the situation in northern Iraq, including monitoring Turkey's Operation Claw Lock. Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Ministers and senior officials regularly reiterate to all parties the need for dialogue and cooperation between Turkey and Iraq, including the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, to combat terrorism, ensure regional security, and protect civilians. Our diplomatic missions are in regular contact with Turkish and Iraqi authorities over these issues and continue to urge restraint and the protection of civilians.
Asked by: Zarah Sultana (Labour - Coventry South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to urgently evacuate British Council employees stranded in Afghanistan.
Answered by Amanda Milling - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
We stand by our commitment to help all Afghans who are eligible to come to the UK. This includes Afghans who helped our allied forces, our Embassy and civil society, or those who face a particular risk from the Taliban. The Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP) offers resettlement for Afghan staff who have assisted the UK government, and their families. We are also setting up the Afghan Citizens' Resettlement Scheme (ACRS) which will welcome up to 5,000 vulnerable Afghans over the next year and up to a total of 20,000 over four years.
Asked by: Zarah Sultana (Labour - Coventry South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to offer humanitarian assistance to the people of Afghanistan after the takeover by the Taliban in that country.
Answered by Nigel Adams
We stand with the people of Afghanistan to support a more stable, peaceful future for the country. Following our announcement of 18 August, total UK aid to Afghanistan this year is now £286 million, one of our largest bilateral programmes. £30 million has been made available to humanitarian partners to support neighbouring countries which experience a significant increase in refugees to provide essential services and supplies such shelters and the setting up of sanitation and hygiene facilities.
Asked by: Zarah Sultana (Labour - Coventry South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent steps he has taken to encourage the US Administration to end the economic blockade on Cuba.
Answered by Wendy Morton
The UK opposes the US embargo against Cuba. We consistently vote in support of the annual United Nations General Assembly Resolution calling for an end to the embargo. The UK considers unilateral secondary sanctions, such as the activation of Titles III and IV of the Helms Burton Act, to be contrary to international law. We have made our position on this clear, and regularly engage US officials on this issue through our Embassy in Washington, as well as with the US Embassies in Havana and London. Most recently, officials in the Latin America Department raised this with the US State Department on 11 August.
Asked by: Zarah Sultana (Labour - Coventry South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 9 July 2021 to Question 25803 on Jerusalem: Palestinians, whether the Government has taken diplomatic steps to oppose the eviction of Palestinians in the East Jerusalem neighbourhood of Silwan.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
The UK regularly raises the issue of forced evictions from their homes with the Government of Israel. The Fourth Geneva Convention, which applies to all occupied territories, prohibits demolitions or forced evictions absent military necessity. The UK is clear that in all but the most exceptional of circumstances, evictions are contrary to International Humanitarian Law. We monitor the situation in Silwan closely, and officials regularly visit and attend related court hearings. We continue to urge Israel to cease such actions.
Asked by: Zarah Sultana (Labour - Coventry South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations he has made to his Israeli counterpart on the demolition of 27 structures in Humsa - Al Bqai’a, the northern Jordan Valley, including residential units and animal shelters.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
The UK regularly raises the demolition of Palestinian property with the Government of Israel, most recently on 13 July, over the repeated confiscation and demolition of donor-funded assistance and structures at Humsa al Bqai'a. We continue to monitor the situation in Humsa al Bqai'a closely. Officials from the British Consulate General in Jerusalem visited on 19 July, releasing a joint statement with our likeminded partners urging Israel to halt settlement construction, demolitions and confiscation of Palestinian property.
Asked by: Zarah Sultana (Labour - Coventry South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with the Belarus government on the detainment of (a) Roman Protasevich and (b) other political prisoners.
Answered by Wendy Morton
As the Foreign Secretary made clear in his 24 May statement to Parliament, the Belarusian authorities' forced landing of Ryanair flight FR4978 and their subsequent arrest of the journalist, Roman Protasevich, was a shocking attack on human rights, media freedom, civil aviation and international law. The UK has acted swiftly, robustly and in coordination with our allies. On 24 May, the Minister for the European Neighbourhood and the Americas summoned the Belarusian Ambassador to condemn the Belarusian authorities' actions and call for the immediate release of Mr Protasevich. On 24 and 25 May, the UK took measures to prevent all Belarusian aircraft from entering UK airspace, unless authorised, and advised all UK airlines to avoid Belarusian airspace. The UK has condemned the actions of the Belarusian authorities on the international stage, including at the OSCE in Vienna and the UN in Geneva. On 8 June, in a meeting with the Belarusian Foreign Minister, Her Majesty's Ambassador to Belarus, joined by the Heads of Missions from the EU, Japan, Switzerland and the US, demanded the release of all political prisoners, including Mr Protasevich. On 21 June the UK acted in coordination with our international partners to implement sanctions against those responsible for the forced landing of the Ryanair flight and Mr Protasevich's arrest.
Asked by: Zarah Sultana (Labour - Coventry South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the level of risk of contracting covid-19 for people travelling overseas for (a) study and (b) work; and what steps he is taking to mitigate that risk.
Answered by Nigel Adams
The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) travel advice has a box at the top of all pages setting out the government message that to prevent new COVID-19 variants from entering the UK, travellers should not travel to Amber or Red list countries. Every page also states the Traffic Light status for that country (Red, Amber or Green).
The FCDO currently advises against all but essential travel to many countries and territories on the basis of COVID risks. Whether travel is essential or not is a personal decision; individuals should make an informed decision on whether or not to travel based on their personal circumstances, judgement of the risks, relevant legislation or regulations where they are resident and the entry requirements of their destination country.
Asked by: Zarah Sultana (Labour - Coventry South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the level of risk posed to people travelling abroad for study or work of contracting covid-19.
Answered by Nigel Adams
The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) travel advice has a box at the top of all pages setting out the government message that to prevent new COVID-19 variants from entering the UK, travellers should not travel to Amber or Red list countries. Every page also states the Traffic Light status for that country (Red, Amber or Green).
The FCDO currently advises against all but essential travel to many countries and territories on the basis of COVID risks. Whether travel is essential or not is a personal decision; individuals should make an informed decision on whether or not to travel based on their personal circumstances, judgement of the risks, relevant legislation or regulations where they are resident and the entry requirements of their destination country.