The UK has a strong history of upholding and promoting the principles of international humanitarian law (IHL). The four Geneva Conventions of 1949 constitute the bedrock treaties of IHL. There are no plans to seek reform of these globally recognised Conventions. We believe that efforts should be directed primarily at improving compliance with IHL. To this end, we consistently call on states and non-state actors engaged in armed conflict to respect IHL and act in accordance with their obligations under it. We are also an active participant in the intergovernmental process, facilitated by the International Committee of the Red Cross and government of Switzerland, aimed at strengthening respect for IHL.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1405", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mark Field"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Cities of London and Westminster"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mark Field"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-07-02", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "previousAnswerVersion" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/931410/answer/previousversion/67022", "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1405", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mark Field"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Cities of London and Westminster"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mark Field"} } , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-07-02T17:11:58.453Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "16"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2018-06-26", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Geneva Conventions"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether he has plans to seek to reform the Geneva Convention; and if he will make a statement.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/116", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Soames of Fletching"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Mid Sussex"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Sir Nicholas Soames"} ], "uin" : "157611"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/908969", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/908969/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The British Council has discussed plans for the proposed campus at Foxcombe Hall with Peking University. This has included talks with the Communist Party\u2019s Secretary for the University, Dr Hao Ping, as part of a wider dialogue on the future of UK-China Higher Education co-operation. Officials in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office have also had some communications with UK representatives of the University about an event at the campus in March.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1405", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mark Field"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Cities of London and Westminster"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mark Field"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-05-24", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "previousAnswerVersion" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/908969/answer/previousversion/60235", "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1405", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mark Field"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Cities of London and Westminster"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mark Field"} } , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-05-24T16:55:07.437Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "16"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2018-05-21", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Peking University: Oxfordshire"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent (a) discussions he has had with and (b) representations he has received from (i) Peking University HSBC Business School and (ii) his Chinese counterpart on a potential campus at Foxcombe Hall in Oxfordshire.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4656", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Layla Moran"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Oxford West and Abingdon"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Layla Moran"} ], "uin" : "146335"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/759317", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/759317/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Since the UN High Commissioner of Human Rights' statement on 11 September, our Ambassador has raised the situation in Rakhine with Burmese Ministers and has set out our concerns about the violence, the large scale displacement of civilians, and the need for improved humanitarian access. The Foreign Secretary had earlier spoken to State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi on 7 September in similar terms and to underline the need for any allegations of human rights abuses to be investigated. Subsequently, at his press conference on 14 September, the Foreign Secretary described the situation in Rakhine as an \u201cabomination\u201d, and urged the displaced Rohingya to be allowed back and for the abuse of their human rights and killings to stop.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1405", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mark Field"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Cities of London and Westminster"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mark Field"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2017-09-18", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "previousAnswerVersion" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/759317/answer/previousversion/11904", "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1405", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mark Field"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Cities of London and Westminster"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mark Field"} } , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2017-09-18T15:24:07.243Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "16"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2017-09-11", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Burma: Rohingya"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to the Government of Burma on the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights' assessment of Burma's operations against Rohingya Muslims constituting a textbook example of ethnic cleansing.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/413", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Hilary Benn"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Leeds Central"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Hilary Benn"} ], "uin" : "10010"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/757645", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/757645/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The British Government continues to discuss the situation in Rakhine with the Government of Burma. On 7 September, the Foreign Secretary called State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi to raise our strong concerns about Rakhine. They agreed any human rights abuses or violations must be investigated urgently. Our Ambassador continues to engage with officials from the Burmese Foreign Ministry on the full range of challenges facing Rakhine State.<\/p>
On 30 August the UK convened a discussion on Burma at the UN Security Council. The UK urged the security forces in Rakhine to show restraint and called for all parties to de-escalate tensions. The Foreign Secretary released a statement on 2 September calling for an end to the violence. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon made a statement at the 36th session of the Human Rights Council on 11 September which made clear that the UK strongly condemned the violence, and called on all parties to de-escalate tensions and address the humanitarian crisis<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1405", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mark Field"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Cities of London and Westminster"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mark Field"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2017-09-12", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "previousAnswerVersion" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/757645/answer/previousversion/9981", "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1405", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mark Field"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Cities of London and Westminster"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mark Field"} } , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2017-09-12T09:21:45.44Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "16"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2017-09-05", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Burma: Rohingya"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of (a) the security situation, (b) human rights and (c) religious freedom in the state of Rohingya, Burma.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4523", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Catherine West"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Hornsey and Wood Green"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Catherine West"} ], "uin" : "8605"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/757650", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/757650/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The British Government continues to discuss the situation in Rakhine with the Government of Burma. On 7 September, the Foreign Secretary called State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi to raise our strong concerns about Rakhine. They agreed any human rights abuses or violations must be investigated urgently. Our Ambassador continues to engage with officials from the Burmese Foreign Ministry on the full range of challenges facing Rakhine State.<\/p>
On 30 August the UK convened a discussion on Burma at the UN Security Council. The UK urged the security forces in Rakhine to show restraint and called for all parties to de-escalate tensions. The Foreign Secretary released a statement on 2 September calling for an end to the violence. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon made a statement at the 36th session of the Human Rights Council on 11 September which made clear that the UK strongly condemned the violence, and called on all parties to de-escalate tensions and address the humanitarian crisis.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1405", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mark Field"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Cities of London and Westminster"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mark Field"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2017-09-12", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "previousAnswerVersion" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/757650/answer/previousversion/9967", "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1405", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mark Field"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Cities of London and Westminster"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mark Field"} } , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2017-09-12T09:19:22.037Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "16"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2017-09-05", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Burma: Rohingya"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with (a) Aung San Suu Kyi and (b) officials from the Burmese Foreign Ministry on (i) the security situation, (ii) human rights and (iii) religious freedom in the state of Rohingya, Burma.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4523", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Catherine West"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Hornsey and Wood Green"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Catherine West"} ], "uin" : "8602"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/757111", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/757111/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
\u200bMy Rt Hon Friend the Foreign Secretary met his counterpart Aung San Suu Kyi in Burma during his visit in January 2017 and during Aung San Suu Kyi\u2019s visit to the UK in May 2017. The Foreign Secretary also spoke to Aung San Suu Kyi on 7 September 2017.<\/ins> On both<\/del> all three<\/ins> occasions they discussed a range of issues, including the situation in Rakhine State and the Burmese Peace Process.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1405", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mark Field"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Cities of London and Westminster"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mark Field"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2017-09-07", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "true", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "previousAnswerVersion" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/757111/answer/previousversion/8960", "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1405", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mark Field"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Cities of London and Westminster"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mark Field"}
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, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2017-09-07T16:30:19.153Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
], "questionFirstMinisteriallyCorrected" : [{"_value" : "2017-09-08T13:30:40.61Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
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, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2017-09-04", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Burma: Foreign Relations"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
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], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when he last met his counterpart in Myanmar; and what was discussed at that meeting.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/308", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Jim Cunningham"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Coventry South"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mr Jim Cunningham"}
], "uin" : "8413"}
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