Asked by: Baroness Cox (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of President Macron's statement on 1 October that “we have information today that indicates with certainty that Syrian fighters from jihadist groups have transited through Gaziantep to reach the theatre of operations in Nagorno-Karabakh.”
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK Government noted the 11 November statement of the UN Working Group on the use of mercenaries, in which the Group said it had received reports that both Azerbaijan and Armenia had deployed foreign fighters in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. While the Government is also aware of such reports, we have not yet seen solid evidence to substantiate the claims. The UK Government has made no assessment of President Macron's 1 October statement and is not aware of the specific information to which he referred.
Asked by: Baroness Cox (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the statement of the United Nations working group on the use of mercenaries on 11 November that “the Government of Azerbaijan, with Turkey’s assistance, relied on Syrian fighters to shore-up and sustain its military operations in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone, including on the frontline”; and what assessment they have made of the participation of Syrian fighters in the conflict in the Nagorno-Karabakh region.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK Government noted the 11 November statement of the UN Working Group on the use of mercenaries, in which the Group said it had received reports that both Azerbaijan and Armenia had deployed foreign fighters in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. While the Government is also aware of such reports, we have not yet seen solid evidence to substantiate the claims. The UK Government has made no assessment of President Macron's 1 October statement and is not aware of the specific information to which he referred.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of Southwark (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have received from the Armenian diaspora about (1) the conflict in the Nagorno-Karabakh region, and (2) the ceasefire agreement brokered by the government of Russia.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK Government has received several representations from representatives of the Armenian diaspora in the UK regarding the conflict and the ceasefire agreement.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of St Albans (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the future of democracy in Armenia following (1) the conflict, and (2) the increased Russian military presence, in the Nagorno-Karabakh region.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We have not made an assessment of the impact of the recent conflict on the future of democracy in Armenia. The UK Government continues to support the development of a stable, open and prosperous Armenia, including by using the Good Governance Fund to provide support in the areas of democracy and human rights. The UK Government understands that the Russian military is playing a role in Nagorno-Karabakh to end the recent hostilities, as agreed with the governments of Armenia and Azerbaijan. However, it is important that Armenia and Azerbaijan remain the key actors in ensuring that a sustainable peace deal is reached, under the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group process.
Asked by: Baroness Cox (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports that captured Armenians have been beheaded and tortured by the Azerbaijani Armed Forces; and what steps they are taking (1) to bring to justice those responsible for, and (2) to prevent, any such crimes.
Answered by Baroness Sugg
We are deeply concerned by accusations from both sides that war crimes were committed. Where it is possible to verify reports of alleged violations, we will do so and we will raise these with the parties involved. The Minister for the European Neighbourhood spoke to both the Armenian and Azerbaijani Foreign Ministers on 28 October and highlighted UK concern over reports of war crimes. The UK's position remains that States have the primary responsibility to prosecute crimes within their national jurisdiction.
Asked by: Baroness Cox (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they vetoed a proposal for a ceasefire in the Nagorno-Karabakh region at a meeting of the UN Security Council; and if so, why.
Answered by Baroness Sugg
The UK did not veto a proposal for a ceasefire in the Nagorno-Karabakh region at a meeting of the UN Security Council. A Presidential Statement was proposed at the Security Council and whilst the Council was united in seeking an end to the conflict, members were unable to reach an agreed version of the text.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of St Albans (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the scale, and (2) the ferocity, of offensives in the Nagorno-Karabakh region; what representations they have received about fears of ethnic cleansing of Armenian Christians; and what plans they have to call for urgent intervention at international level in line with the UN's Responsibility to Protect agreement.
Answered by Baroness Sugg
The UK Government welcomes the news that the Governments of Armenia and Azerbaijan have agreed to a ceasefire. The Minister for the European Neighbourhood has spoken to the Azerbaijani Foreign Minister four times, most recently on 13 November and spoken to the Armenian Foreign Minister three times, most recently on 28 October. The UK Government has seen no evidence that ethnic cleansing is taking place or will take place and has no plans to call for urgent intervention at the international level. The UK Government continues to support the efforts of the OSCE Minsk Group and Minsk Group Co-Chairs.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of St Albans (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the case for the provision of further security guarantees to assist those living in the Nagorno-Karabakh region; and what steps they are taking to monitor and assess clashes and casualties along the 'line of contact' in that region.
Answered by Baroness Sugg
The UK Government has not made an assessment on the case for further security guarantees to assist those living in the Nagorno-Karabakh region. Any such mechanism should be agreed between Armenia and Azerbaijan, under the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group. The UK Government continues to support the efforts of the OSCE Minsk Group and Minsk Group Co-Chairs in calling for immediate de-escalation and a return to the negotiating table without pre-conditions.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the answer by Baroness Sugg on 2 November (HL Deb, cols 495–9), what assessment they have made of the judgment delivered by the International Court of Justice in Bosnia and Herzegovina v. Serbia and Montenegro (no. 91) on 26 February 2007, in particular the statement contained in that judgment that "a State’s obligation to prevent, and the corresponding duty to act, arise at the instant that the State learns of, or should normally have learned of, the existence of a serious risk that genocide will be committed"; what assessment they have made of the risk of genocide in the Nagorno-Karabakh region; and what steps they are taking in response to that assessment.
Answered by Baroness Sugg
The UK takes its moral and legal obligations seriously, and is fully committed to focusing on conflict prevention as the best means to prevent most mass atrocities. HMG adopts a consolidated, whole-of-government effort, using our diplomatic, development, defence and law enforcement capabilities, to help find pathways to global peace and stability. The policy of the UK is that any determination on whether genocide has occurred is a matter for competent judicial bodies, rather than for governments. The UK is fully committed to the principle that there must be no impunity for the most serious international crimes. The UK welcomes the news that the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan have agreed to end the fighting in and around Nagorno-Karabakh.
Asked by: Marquess of Lothian (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports that the Russian military is using the Krasukha electronic warfare system on Azerbaijan’s TB-2 Bayraktar drones in the Nagorno-Karabakh region.
Answered by Baroness Sugg
The UK Government has made no such assessment. We are clear that there can be no military solution to the current conflict and continue to urge Armenia and Azerbaijan to undertake substantive negotiations under the auspices of the OSCE Minsk Group.