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46393

registered interest
date	01/04/2014
answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept id	16
answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports of an attack on 21 March on Kessab in northern Syria; whether they have made any estimate of the number of those killed in the attack and of those who have fled the town as a result; whether they have received any reports about the desecration of churches in the town; and what assessment they have made of the possible involvement of the Al-Nusra Front and the Islamic State of Iraq and Sham in the attack.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL6490
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/04/2014 answer text <p>We are concerned by the reports of violence in Kessab, although it is impossible to establish an accurate figure of the numbers of people who have been killed or displaced. We believe that the majority of the ethnic Armenian population of the town has left, along with many other Syrians, because of the fighting in the area. We have not received any confirmed reports of churches being desecrated and we call for all places of worship to be respected. We understand that a range of groups has been involved in the fighting, including the Al-Nusrah Front. We urge all sides to the conflict in Syria to respect international humanitarian law and the rights of all Syrians. Both the Syrian National Coalition and the Free Syrian Army have repeatedly made clear their commitment to protecting all civilians, regardless of religious, ethnic and political affiliation.</p> answering member printed Baroness Warsi question first answered 09/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 3839 label Biography information for Baroness Warsi
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

46394

registered interest
date	01/04/2014
answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept id	16
answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report Marching to Genocide in Burma; and what, if any, action they intend to take in response.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL6491
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/04/2014 answer text <p>We share many of the concerns that United to End Genocide raise in their recent report on the plight of the Rohingya. We continue to press the Burmese government to find a long term solution to bring peace and reconciliation to the communities in Rakhine State. The Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for East Devon (Mr Swire), summoned the Burmese Ambassador on 7 April and called on the Burmese government urgently to restore humanitarian access to all communities in need, and to ensure the security of humanitarian aid workers and all communities in Rakhine State. Mr Swire raised our wider concerns about the situation in Rakhine State with senior Burmese Ministers during his visit in January. I personally discussed the situation with Minister of National Planning and Economic Development, Dr Kan Zaw, during his visit to the UK in March.</p><p>We remain in close contact with Médecins Sans Frontières and have made clear to the Burmese government their responsibility to ensure services are adequately delivered. We continue to maintain that allegations of human rights abuses must be dealt with immediately through a clear and transparent investigative and prosecutorial process that meets international standards.</p> answering member printed Baroness Warsi question first answered 14/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 3839 label Biography information for Baroness Warsi
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

46411

registered interest
date	01/04/2014
answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept id	16
answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the statement on 19 March by the President of Turkey that the internal peace process should be completed, by giving democratic rights and equal citizenship to the Kurdish people together with freedom for the press and other media.
tabling member printed	Lord Hylton
uin	HL6508
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/04/2014 answer text <p>We welcome the comments made by President Gül regarding the Kurdish population in Turkey, which we assess as an important reaffirmation of the Turkish government's commitment to finding a sustainable solution to the Kurdish issue.</p><p>We have been encouraged by the efforts on both sides to reach a solution and welcome the continuing ceasefire, as well as the President Gül's approval of the democratisation package in March.</p> answering member printed Baroness Warsi question first answered 14/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 3839 label Biography information for Baroness Warsi
tabling member	2018 label Biography information for Lord Hylton

46428

registered interest
date	01/04/2014
answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept id	16
answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of President Obama's statement on 26 March that "Kosovo only left Serbia after a referendum was organised".
tabling member printed	Lord Stoddart of Swindon
uin	HL6525
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/04/2014 answer text <p>The point that President Obama was making is that the situations in Crimea and Kosovo are not comparable. Kosovo's independence followed a humanitarian crisis, nearly nine years of UN administration, and the failure of a long period of inclusive, internationally sponsored negotiations on Kosovo's final status. Kosovo thus declared independence only after other options were exhausted, and by the decision of a parliament that had been assembled through a free and fair vote conducted under UN supervision. None of these conditions apply in Crimea.</p> answering member printed Baroness Warsi question first answered 14/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 3839 label Biography information for Baroness Warsi
tabling member	950 label Biography information for Lord Stoddart of Swindon

45834

registered interest
date	28/03/2014
answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept id	16
answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they are having with Mahmoud Abbas on continuing the negotiations with Israel for a two-state solution.
tabling member printed	Lord Turnberg
uin	HL6438
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/04/2014 answer text <p>The Government is having regular discussions about the current peace talks with the Palestinian Authority and the Government of Israel. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), most recently had a discussion on 3 April with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas about the peace process. The Foreign Secretary met with the Israeli Minister for Intelligence, International Relations and Strategic Affairs, Yuval Steinitz on 8 April where they discussed the latest in the peace process.</p> answering member printed Baroness Warsi question first answered 10/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 3839 label Biography information for Baroness Warsi
tabling member	2537 label Biography information for Lord Turnberg

45742

registered interest
date	27/03/2014
answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept id	16
answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their assessment of the independence of the judiciary in Egypt.
tabling member printed	The Lord Bishop of Coventry
uin	HL6391
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/04/2014 answer text <p>The new Egyptian constitution, adopted in January 2014, states that the judicial system is independent, and allows the judiciary its own budget, and to appoint the Prosecutor General and members of the Supreme Constitutional Court. We do however have some concerns over recent judicial decisions, including the sentencing to death of 529 people in Minya on 24 March. Reports that many of the defendants were tried in their absence and may not have been represented properly are deeply troubling. We have been urging the Egyptian authorities to ensure that the rights of defendants are fully respected in all cases.</p> answering member printed Baroness Warsi question first answered 23/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 3839 label Biography information for Baroness Warsi
tabling member	4266 label Biography information for The Lord Bishop of Coventry

45774

registered interest
date	27/03/2014
answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept id	16
answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what current plans they have to enhance stability and democracy in Bosnia Herzegovina.
tabling member printed	The Earl of Dundee
uin	HL6423
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/04/2014 answer text <p>The United Kingdom continues to be deeply committed to enhancing stability and democracy in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH). The UK is a strong supporter of European Union Force (EUFOR) Operation Althea's maintenance of the safe and secure environment in BiH, and is proud of its contributions in theatre, and through a reserve company, 1 Scots. Our support for BiH's policing has led to our contributing to establishing a trilateral Police Cooperation Centre (PCC) in Trebinje, resulting in more efficient and effective actions being taken between law enforcement agencies in the region. UK Ministers and officials have made clear to BiH's leaders their responsibility for ensuring that their public rhetoric is not inflammatory or ethnically divisive. <br><br>Following the recent protests, we have made clear to BiH's leaders that they need to respond to the population's legitimate desire for change, most recently when the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my Rt. Hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), met the BiH Presidency and Foreign Minister on 27 March. During his recent visit the Foreign Secretary met representatives of civil society and plenums and expressed our support to widen the political space in BiH so as to allow citizens to hold politicians to account. <br><br>Part of our work to widen the political space is the recent British BiH Fellowship Programme. A one-month residential programme in the UK designed to equip BiH's future leaders with the skills and experience to lead positive change in their country. <br><br>The Foreign Secretary also announced continuing UK assistance for BiH's path towards EU membership, in the form of new funding to foster democratic governance in Bosnia by strengthening the judiciary, civil society organisations, governance and supporting BiH's EU accession process. Specific examples include political and financial support focused on strengthening the State Court and State Prosecutor's Office, which will improve the operation of Rule of Law systems in BiH. <br><br>In addition, the UK supports the activities of the Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD), whose work in BiH has focused on equipping local non-governmental organisations with the skills they need to provide effective evidence for parliamentary committees. WFD has done valuable work with BiH's Parliament to raise awareness of the value of such committees. This has influenced positively the formation of legislation, and opened up the process of law-making to public scrutiny, while promoting citizen participation in the democratic process.</p> answering member printed Baroness Warsi question first answered 23/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 3839 label Biography information for Baroness Warsi
tabling member	2735 label Biography information for The Earl of Dundee

45775

registered interest
date	27/03/2014
answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept id	16
answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the Plenum movement within Bosnia Herzegovina in providing a constructive and peaceful catalyst towards constitutional reform.
tabling member printed	The Earl of Dundee
uin	HL6424
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/04/2014 answer text <p>The protests and plenums are focussing primarily on socio-economic issues, demonstrating the frustration of the population with Bosnia and Herzegovina's (BiH) leaders' failure to implement reforms on issues which matter most to ordinary Bosnians. The UK views these grievances as being rooted in a wider frustration with the functionality of the state, and as indicative of a broader malaise within BiH, which includes the Constitution. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my Rt. Hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), visited BiH on 27-28 March, and emphasised to BiH's leadership the importance of their engaging fully with the population's legitimate calls for change, which will include broader reforms. The UK has made clear, bilaterally and within the EU, that it stands ready to assist BiH's leaders in implementing a wide range of changes, should BiH's leaders demonstrate their commitment to engage fully with protesters, and summon the political will to make reforms.</p> answering member printed Baroness Warsi question first answered 10/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 3839 label Biography information for Baroness Warsi
tabling member	2735 label Biography information for The Earl of Dundee

45777

registered interest
date	27/03/2014
answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept id	16
answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the case for international intervention or guidance to assist the efforts of the Plenum movement to reduce corruption and financial irregularities in Bosnia Herzegovina.
tabling member printed	The Earl of Dundee
uin	HL6426
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/04/2014 answer text <p>The recent protests and work of the plenums are evidence of Bosnia and Herzegovina's (BiH) political stalemate and economic malaise. We are making clear to BiH's leaders that the onus is on them to respond to the socio-economic grievances expressed by protesters and the plenums, most recently in the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my Rt. Hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague)'s meetings with the Presidency and the Foreign Minister on 27 and 28 March. We see an opportunity also for the international community, particularly the EU, to support reform ahead of October's elections. This includes assistance through new initiatives on economic reform and anti-corruption announced by EU Commissioner Fule, and the EU Special Representative's planned ‘Compact for Growth'. We support these efforts to develop and build popular support for concrete reforms in economic governance, transparency and anti-corruption.</p> answering member printed Baroness Warsi question first answered 10/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 3839 label Biography information for Baroness Warsi
tabling member	2735 label Biography information for The Earl of Dundee