argyrotsipi/train-dataset huggingface dataset:
EU Bilateral Relationships — House of Commons, 2018-01-09
Topic: International Affairs
Alan James Carter Duncan (Conservative, Centre-right): No, I do not. I have spent much of the past 18 months championing this country across Europe and elsewhere, throughout the 77 countries I represent, and I am proud to say that the British flag flies high and with great respect in all those countries.
Iran — House of Commons, 2018-01-09
Topic: International Affairs
Questions: What recent assessment he has made of the effect on stability in the middle east of Iranian political and military influence in that region.
Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson (Conservative, Centre-right): We have consistently made clear our concern about Iran’s destabilising and disruptive activity in the region, about its ballistic missile programme —it remains sanctioned by both the EU and the UN— and of course about reported Iranian weapons supplies to the Houthis in Yemen, which would be a violation of UN Security Council resolution 2231. We have set out those concerns with great clarity at the Security Council.
Iran — House of Commons, 2018-01-09
Topic: International Affairs
Questions: What recent assessment he has made of the effect on stability in the middle east of Iranian political and military influence in that region.
Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson (Conservative, Centre-right): We have—indeed, I have personally—made clear to the Iranian leadership at all levels the deep concern we have in this country about the very issues the right hon. Lady raises. In particular, of course, there is the supply—or the alleged supply—of weaponry to the Houthis, the ballistic missile programme and the breaches of Iran’s obligations under UN Security Council resolution 2231. We are raising those issues not just with the Iranians but with our international friends and partners, to put pressure on Iran to desist from those activities.
Iran — House of Commons, 2018-01-09
Topic: International Affairs
Questions: What recent assessment he has made of the effect on stability in the middle east of Iranian political and military influence in that region.
Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson (Conservative, Centre-right): I thank the hon. Lady. She and I have discussed this case on several occasions. I think that perhaps the best thing I can tell the House is that work continues assiduously at all levels on all our consular cases in Iran. It is, I am afraid, not particularly helpful in securing the result that we both want to get into detailed commentary at this stage about how we are doing.
Iran — House of Commons, 2018-01-09
Topic: International Affairs
Questions: What recent assessment he has made of the effect on stability in the middle east of Iranian political and military influence in that region.
Stephen Crabb (Conservative, Centre-right): More than a year since we re-established diplomatic ties with the Iranian Government, Iran continues to develop its weapons programme, continues to fund regional terror groups and proxies, and continues to crack down on human rights campaigners. What positive fruit can we expect this year from our closer ties with the Iranian regime?
Iran — House of Commons, 2018-01-09
Topic: International Affairs
Questions: What recent assessment he has made of the effect on stability in the middle east of Iranian political and military influence in that region.
Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson (Conservative, Centre-right): My right hon. Friend makes an excellent point. I would simply remind the House of the virtues of our approach, which is on the one hand to be extremely tough with the Iranians on what they are doing wrong—as I say, they remain a highly disruptive and destabilising force—but on the other hand to do what we can not just to confront them, but to engage with the forces of reform in Iran, which do exist, need encouragement and could be imperilled. That has to be the way forward, and it is one of the reasons why we believe—I know that this sentiment is shared by many in this House—that the joint comprehensive plan of action, the Iran nuclear deal, is valid, represents a considerable diplomatic achievement and should be safeguarded.
Iran — House of Commons, 2018-01-09
Topic: International Affairs
Questions: What recent assessment he has made of the effect on stability in the middle east of Iranian political and military influence in that region.
Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson (Conservative, Centre-right): The hon. Lady is right to detect the disruptive hand and the destabilising agency of Iran in the region and certainly in the supply of missiles to Hezbollah and weapons to the Houthis. What Iran is up to is well chronicled and, together with our friends and partners, we are working at the United Nations and elsewhere to bring maximum pressure on the Iranians to cease and desist from their activities.
Iran — House of Commons, 2018-01-09
Topic: International Affairs
Questions: What recent assessment he has made of the effect on stability in the middle east of Iranian political and military influence in that region.
Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson (Conservative, Centre-right): My hon. Friend makes—I am afraid—an excellent point. Of course we must push back on Iranian disruptive behaviour—it is entirely the right thing to do and this Government will continue to do it—but we must also be intellectually honest and recognise that collectively over the past 20 years or so western foreign policy has helped to create the conditions, alas, in which Iranian influence has been capable of expanding.
Iran — House of Commons, 2018-01-09
Topic: International Affairs
Questions: What recent assessment he has made of the effect on stability in the middle east of Iranian political and military influence in that region.
Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson (Conservative, Centre-right): I agree very much with the sentiments with which the hon. Gentleman began. It is vital that the people of Iran and the Government of Iran should understand that we in this country support the right to peaceful demonstration within the law. We communicated that message very clearly. It is also important that the JCPOA should continue and that that agreement, which prevents the Iranians from acquiring nuclear weapons in exchange for greater economic partnership with the rest of the world, remains useful and valid. We continue to urge our friends in the White House not to throw it away.
Iran — House of Commons, 2018-01-09
Topic: International Affairs
Questions: What recent assessment he has made of the effect on stability in the middle east of Iranian political and military influence in that region.
Julian Murray Lewis (Conservative, Centre-right): Does the Foreign Secretary see, as I do, some parallels and similarities between the situation in Iran now and the situation in the former Soviet Union in its declining years? Does he agree that a combination of deterrence, containment and constant pressure over human rights issues is the right one to achieve a similar outcome?
Iran — House of Commons, 2018-01-09
Topic: International Affairs
Questions: What recent assessment he has made of the effect on stability in the middle east of Iranian political and military influence in that region.
Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson (Conservative, Centre-right): I do agree with my right hon. Friend. Our approach must be extremely circumspect, guarded and tough, but we should also be in the business of encouraging reformers and progressives in Iran who are capable of taking that country forward in a different direction, as Mikhail Gorbachev and others expressed the hopes of many people in their country, in a different way.
Human Rights — House of Commons, 2018-01-09
Topic: International Affairs
Roderick James Nugent Stewart (Conservative, Centre-right): These are very alarming developments, and the transition from what was believed to be an Islamist Government to a nationalist Government appears to have coincided with a crackdown on such issues. The Foreign Secretary has raised the matter directly with President Sisi and we will continue to champion these issues and raise them in every interaction with the Egyptian Government.
Human Rights — House of Commons, 2018-01-09
Topic: International Affairs
Roderick James Nugent Stewart (Conservative, Centre-right): Ministers are very aware of both the issues of child detainees in Israel and of Opposition politicians in Bangladesh. They are raised continually in our interactions with those Governments. We try to do it sensitively, both at a ministerial level and at a diplomatic level, and we believe we can make progress on both issues.
Human Rights — House of Commons, 2018-01-09
Topic: International Affairs
Kevin Paul Hollinrake (Conservative, Centre-right): We provide aid to many countries where appalling human rights abuses take place, whether the persecution of minorities or the construction of illegal settlements. Does my hon. Friend agree that we should make aid and direct support for Governments conditional, unless they use best endeavours to tackle such abuses?
Human Rights — House of Commons, 2018-01-09
Topic: International Affairs
Roderick James Nugent Stewart (Conservative, Centre-right): That is a very important question. Our belief is that we need to do these things simultaneously. We need to use our political relationships actively, to drive human rights improvement and change, but at the same time we have an obligation to very vulnerable, marginalised people in those countries, and we need to continue to provide development assistance to them.
Human Rights — House of Commons, 2018-01-09
Topic: International Affairs
Roderick James Nugent Stewart (Conservative, Centre-right): As the shadow Foreign Secretary is aware, we continue to press very strongly in all our meetings with the Saudis on these issues. We have made some progress on the port of Hodeidah, although it is too early to be complacent; it remains a very difficult situation, and we need to continue pushing. And happy new year to the right hon. Lady too.
Human Rights — House of Commons, 2018-01-09
Topic: International Affairs
Roderick James Nugent Stewart (Conservative, Centre-right): At the moment, we do not believe that the key to reopening the port of Hodeidah will be a third party. We have made a lot of progress. In particular, I pay tribute to the Secretary of State for International Development, who, in a recent visit to Djibouti, while working on the issue of Yemen, got undertakings on the port of Hodeidah. We will be watching this very closely over the next 30 days. We absolutely agree that the airstrikes must be investigated, and investigated objectively.
Ocean Conservation — House of Commons, 2018-01-09
Topic: Environment
Alan James Carter Duncan (Conservative, Centre-right): The Government are on track to meet their manifesto blue belt pledge. This will deliver marine protection across nearly 4 million sq km of the earth’s oceans and seas around our overseas territories by 2020. We are also working through the Commonwealth marine economies programme to enable small island Commonwealth states to conserve and use their maritime space sustainably.
Ocean Conservation — House of Commons, 2018-01-09
Topic: International Affairs
Alan James Carter Duncan (Conservative, Centre-right): I am not absolutely clear exactly what goes through the Department for International Development for this kind of purpose, but obviously there are international treaties and international treaty obligations. I hope that collectively the world can get together to ensure that the objectives we all share are properly put into effect.
Armed Conflicts: Heritage, Minorities and Human Rights — House of Commons, 2018-01-09
Topic: International Affairs
Mark Christopher Field (Conservative, Centre-right): The hon. Gentleman will recognise that I represent the FCO in Asia and the Pacific, but he is absolutely right that these issues are prevalent in places such as Nigeria and Kenya. In the part of the world where I represent the FCO, I do my best at every opportunity to represent the interests of Christians. I recently wrote a letter to all our high commissioners and ambassadors there asking for their own plans for ensuring that minorities from Nepal to India and elsewhere can be properly protected.
Armed Conflicts: Heritage, Minorities and Human Rights — House of Commons, 2018-01-09
Topic: International Affairs
Mark Christopher Field (Conservative, Centre-right): The hon. Lady has identified the hub of the matter, which is the fact that we cannot get a UN Security Council resolution through because it would be vetoed by China and Russia. However, she should rest assured that we are doing our level best to engage constantly in conversations with our Chinese and Russian counterparts in the Security Council. There was a presidential statement for the first time in 10 years just before Christmas, and I repeatedly raised the appalling treatment of the Rohingya with both the Burmese Defence Minister and the Minister for the Office of the State Counsellor in Nay Pyi Taw recently when I was attending the conference of the Asia-Europe Foreign Ministers.
Armed Conflicts: Heritage, Minorities and Human Rights — House of Commons, 2018-01-09
Topic: International Affairs
Questions: As the Minister’s remit covers Asia, may I ask how he is addressing a very serious issue? The Bangladesh and Myanmar authorities are pressing forward with plans to repatriate the displaced Rohingya population despite the evidence that most Rohingya are concerned about further persecution. What is the Government’s position on the repatriation of Rohingya to Rakhine state in those circumstances?
Mark Christopher Field (Conservative, Centre-right): The right hon. Gentleman is absolutely right. There can be no question at the moment of a safe and dignified return for Rohingya from Bangladesh to Burma. When I was in Thailand last week, I spoke to the chairman of the new standing committee that will oversee the memorandum of understanding between the two countries in order to look at the whole issue of returns. We want people to be able to return. That is currently not possible, but we want to maintain pressure on both sides.
Armed Conflicts: Heritage, Minorities and Human Rights — House of Commons, 2018-01-09
Topic: International Affairs
Questions: As the Minister’s remit covers Asia, may I ask how he is addressing a very serious issue? The Bangladesh and Myanmar authorities are pressing forward with plans to repatriate the displaced Rohingya population despite the evidence that most Rohingya are concerned about further persecution. What is the Government’s position on the repatriation of Rohingya to Rakhine state in those circumstances?
Mark Christopher Field (Conservative, Centre-right): Very little can be done without international co-operation. As the hon. Lady will know, Lord Darzi is part of the committee that is trying to oversee the situation, and the committee will have meetings in Nai Pyi Taw within the next week to consider what practical steps can be taken to try to ease the path. However, as the hon. Member for East Dunbartonshire (Jo Swinson) pointed out, these are massive international problems. We have tried to do as much as we can through the United Nations, but—
Armed Conflicts: Heritage, Minorities and Human Rights — House of Commons, 2018-01-09
Topic: International Affairs
Questions: As the Minister’s remit covers Asia, may I ask how he is addressing a very serious issue? The Bangladesh and Myanmar authorities are pressing forward with plans to repatriate the displaced Rohingya population despite the evidence that most Rohingya are concerned about further persecution. What is the Government’s position on the repatriation of Rohingya to Rakhine state in those circumstances?
Mark Christopher Field (Conservative, Centre-right): I think that all of us, with the benefit of hindsight, could rightly say that the sanctions were lifted too early, with the hope—and only the hope—of democracy there. As I have said, we would need to get a resolution through the United Nations, and it would almost certainly be vetoed. [Interruption.] Of course we are trying: in New York we are constantly having conversations with our Chinese and Russian counterparts about precisely these matters.
Palestinian Communities — House of Commons, 2018-01-09
Topic: International Affairs
Alistair James Hendrie Burt (Conservative, Centre-right): We remain seriously concerned about the continuing demolition of Palestinian property by Israeli authorities, and our embassy in Tel Aviv raised our specific concerns about it with Israel in November last year. Israel’s treatment of vulnerable Palestinian minors held in military detention also remains a human rights priority for the UK. I raised our concerns with the Israeli authorities during my visit to Israel in August last year, and will continue to do so.
Palestinian Communities — House of Commons, 2018-01-09
Topic: International Affairs
Alistair James Hendrie Burt (Conservative, Centre-right): The whole issue of settlements brings into question the whole point of pursuing a two-state solution, because none of these issues will be dealt with unless we make progress on that. We are pressing for that of course, but in the meantime we continue to support those who are concerned about demolitions and settlements. We continue to make the case to Israel that these are barriers to peace, among other barriers to peace, but unless there is a conclusive settlement soon, these issues will get worse.
Palestinian Communities — House of Commons, 2018-01-09
Topic: International Affairs
Alistair James Hendrie Burt (Conservative, Centre-right): I know both the Tamimi family and Nabi Saleh, and it is a very unhappy incident all round. The truth is that the soldiers should not be there and the young woman should not have needed to do what she did. It is sad that two young people who ought to be friends are caught up in a situation in which, because of the failure to deal comprehensively with what is happening on the west bank and in Israel, we cannot come to a settlement. We have indeed made representations. It is important that Israel follows through the law, as it is entitled to do, but when we see the whole incident on video it tells us that this should not be happening and we should be working hard to get a settlement to this issue, so these young people do not have to continue to do what they are doing.
Palestinian Communities — House of Commons, 2018-01-09
Topic: International Affairs
Ross Thomson (Conservative, Centre-right): The biggest current obstacles to advancement of the middle east peace process include Hamas’s rearmament drive in Gaza and the long-standing issue of Palestinian incitement. What steps has the Minister taken, alongside his international counterparts, to assist the Palestinian leadership in becoming a viable partner for peace with Israel?
Palestinian Communities — House of Commons, 2018-01-09
Topic: International Affairs
Alistair James Hendrie Burt (Conservative, Centre-right): There are many obstacles on the way to peace, and certainly one of them remains incitement among some in the Palestinian community, but efforts being made for reconciliation between Fatah and Hamas have to conclude with a process that has led to acceptance of Quartet principles, and we hope that that will provide one further step forward.
Palestinian Communities — House of Commons, 2018-01-09
Topic: International Affairs
Alistair James Hendrie Burt (Conservative, Centre-right): Yes, and efforts are continually being made to move forward with the peace process. We await proposals being brought forward by the US envoys very soon, but sooner or later both the Palestinians and the Israelis have to sit down together, because only they can come to the answer they need.
Israel and Palestine: Two-State Solution — House of Commons, 2018-01-09
Topic: International Affairs
Alistair James Hendrie Burt (Conservative, Centre-right): Our long-standing policy in support of a two-state solution is clear. We support a negotiated settlement leading to a safe and secure Israel living alongside a viable and sovereign Palestinian state, based on 1967 borders with agreed land swaps, Jerusalem as the shared capital of both states, and a just, fair, agreed and realistic settlement for refugees.
Israel and Palestine: Two-State Solution — House of Commons, 2018-01-09
Topic: International Affairs
Kelly Jane Tolhurst (Conservative, Centre-right): I am pleased my right hon. Friend agrees that a two-state solution is the best way forward for both parties, but the Israeli Justice Minister is recently on record as saying there is not, and never will be, a Palestine state. Will my right hon. Friend join me in expressing concern at the impact these comments have on the prospects for peace and outline how the UK can lead on engagement with those who hold this view?
Israel and Palestine: Two-State Solution — House of Commons, 2018-01-09
Topic: International Affairs
Alistair James Hendrie Burt (Conservative, Centre-right): Many statements are made on both sides about whether or not there will be a resolution to the issues between the Palestinians and Israelis, and the United Kingdom is not responsible for them. All the polling done in Israel and Palestine suggests people want a two-state solution. As I indicated before, we will continue to work for that and we hope those in the Palestinian areas and in Israel will also continue to work for the just peace they all deserve.
Israel and Palestine: Two-State Solution — House of Commons, 2018-01-09
Topic: International Affairs
Alistair James Hendrie Burt (Conservative, Centre-right): The danger and difficulty in making statements that are seen to be provocative can be seen in the responses of recent weeks. The United Kingdom is absolutely right to call on all sides not only to refrain from those provocations but to use the renewed interest now in the issues between Israel and the Palestinians as a pressure to push for peace, because that is the only thing that will deal with these issues.
India: Diplomatic Relations — House of Commons, 2018-01-09
Topic: International Affairs
Mark Christopher Field (Conservative, Centre-right): Our relations with India remain excellent. The UK shares a long-standing and deep friendship with India covering economic and commercial ties, defence and security, and the living bridge of the people-to-people links, as I saw most recently on my visit to New Delhi and Chennai three months ago.
India: Diplomatic Relations — House of Commons, 2018-01-09
Topic: International Affairs
Robert John Blackman (Conservative, Centre-right): I thank the Minister for his answer. This April, Prime Minister Modi will be here once again. His last visit presented an opportunity for a joint address to both Houses of Parliament and an opportunity to interact with the Indian diaspora in this country. What plans are there for similar arrangements to enable us to use this opportunity once again?
India: Diplomatic Relations — House of Commons, 2018-01-09
Topic: International Affairs
Mark Christopher Field (Conservative, Centre-right): I very much agree with my hon. Friend; there is no doubt that India will play a vital role in the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in mid-April. We are obviously working closely with our Indian colleagues to develop a full agenda of areas of mutual interest, and I very much hope that we will be able to do something here in Parliament along the lines that my hon. Friend has suggested—although that is a matter for you, Mr Speaker—in the community in London and indeed beyond, where there is a significant number of members of the Indian diaspora.