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<p>The UK Government shares the concerns of the UN about events that have occurred
in Chile. Our Ambassador in Chile has talked with representatives of the Chilean Government
to express our concerns about the violence witnessed during protests and about reports
of human rights abuses by state agents. We welcome the Chilean Government's acceptance
of the report and its recommendations and the Chilean Government's assurances, in
public and to our Ambassador, that allegations of human rights abuses will be investigated
fully and that, if appropriate, perpetrators will be prosecuted. In this context,
the UK is considering what assistance it might be able to offer to help the Chilean
Police improve compliance with international human rights standards following recommendations
by the UN and others.</p><p>The British Government undertakes extensive risk assessments
when designing projects in Chile and other countries, including of any potential negative
impact on human rights. This includes the Overseas Security and Justice Assistance
(OSJA) process, which is intended give assurance that UK funded OSJA work meets our
human rights obligations and accords with our values. We regularly monitor the effects
of our programme work in consultation with colleagues working in Chile, making a thorough
assessment of the impact of all of our projects. Our Embassy in Santiago remains in
contact with the Chilean authorities and will continue to monitor the situation.</p>
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