Asked by: Lord Hylton (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of (1) whether Turkey has breached the Geneva Conventions by (a) killing and wounding unarmed civilians in south-east Turkey, and (b) firing across its frontiers with Syria and Iraq; and (2) whether there may be scope for prosecuting individuals responsible for those actions before the International Criminal Court and for claiming compensation for individuals whose property has been destroyed.
Answered by Baroness Anelay of St Johns
We are closely monitoring Turkish government security operations in south-east Turkey and actions it has taken in northern Iraq and northern Syria. Our condolences are with civilians caught up in the violence, as well as Turkish soldiers and police who continue to be targeted in terrorist attacks by the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). The Foreign Secretary, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), and our Ambassador in Ankara have emphasised to the Turkish government the need to respect human rights, avoid civilian casualties and return to the peace process. We understand that the Government of Turkey has committed to compensating those whose properties were damaged in recent violence.
Asked by: Lord Hylton (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they plan to take, if any, to get the current ceasefires in Syria enlarged to include the whole of south-east Turkey.
Answered by Baroness Anelay of St Johns
There are no plans to extend the Syrian Cessation of Hostilities to south-east Turkey. Violence by the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) must end and we support a return to peace talks between Turkey and the PKK, in the interests of Turkey and the wider region.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assistance his Department is giving to the government of Turkey to combat terrorism in that country.
Answered by David Lidington
The UK continues to work closely with the Government of Turkey to combat terrorist threats both within Turkey and in the region, including the Kurdistan Worker's Party (PKK), Revolutionary People's Liberation Party-Front (DHKP-C), Daesh and Al-Qaida affiliated groups. In particular, we co-operate closely to prevent extremist travellers from reaching Daesh-held territory in Iraq and Syria. We also work together as members of the International Counter-Daesh Coalition, and of the Global Counter-Terrorism Forum. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond) re-affirmed this partnership when he visited Turkey in January.
Asked by: Lord Campbell of Pittenweem (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
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 the government of Turkey regarding their support for the Democratic Union Party (PYD) in Kobane.
Answered by David Lidington
We regularly discuss developments in Syria with the Turkish government, including on the status of the Democratic Union Party (PYD). The Turkish government regard PYD as an affiliate of the proscribed terrorist organisation, the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). Turkey has been clear with the PYD that they need to demonstrate that they are part of the moderate opposition and continue to urge them to co-operate with the National Coalition as the legitimate representative of the Syrian people.Asked by: Lord Campbell of Pittenweem (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
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 the government of Turkey about (a) relations with Kurds in the region and (b) the Kurdistan Workers' Party; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by David Lidington
We maintain a regular dialogue with the Turkish government on relations with the Kurds in the region. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right Hon Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), discussed the situation in Kobane and the PKK with the Turkish Foreign Minister when they spoke on 9 October.
We value greatly Turkey’s generosity in hosting over 190,000 refugees that have fled the fighting in Kobane, in addition to the 1.6 million refugees from Syria and Iraq already residing in Turkey. The Department for International Development has already responded to the urgent needs of Syrian Kurdish refugees that have fled to Turkey, and remains ready to react swiftly to further developments.
We also welcome continued efforts by the Turkish government to take forward the Kurdish peace process, including through the introduction of legislation addressing minority rights and consultation with civil society. The UK stands ready to help in any way we can.