argyrotsipi/train-dataset huggingface dataset:
United States: Human Rights and Diplomatic Relations — House of Commons, 2018-06-26
Topic: International Affairs
Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson (Conservative, Centre-right): As the hon. Gentleman may have observed, my point was about the President’s willingness, in defiance of the experts, to reach out to the leadership of North Korea and attempt to do a deal. If you talk at least to the South Koreans, Mr Speaker, you will find that they are very impressed with the way the President has changed the atmospherics and given even the North Korean regime space to build down its nuclear arsenal. I think he deserves credit for that.
United States: Human Rights and Diplomatic Relations — House of Commons, 2018-06-26
Topic: International Affairs
Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson (Conservative, Centre-right): The hon. Gentleman makes a very interesting point. Thankfully, President Trump’s writ does not run in this country. We run our own affairs, we make our points to the President of the United States, and we do so with vigour where we disagree. The Prime Minister and I disagree with what he has been doing over the separation of kids from their parents. It is right for the UK to speak out over that and we will.
United States: Human Rights and Diplomatic Relations — House of Commons, 2018-06-26
Topic: International Affairs
Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson (Conservative, Centre-right): I hesitate to say it, but I have anticipated the right hon. Lady’s question. I have pointed out, No.1, that it was admirable that Donald Trump’s Administration responded after the chemical weapons attacks by the Assad regime supported by the Russians. It is a good thing that the United States is trying, and trying very hard, to solve the problem of a nuclear-armed North Korea. I admire at least the President’s efforts in that respect. It is also a good thing that the President is encouraging our European friends and partners to spend more on their own defence. We will certainly assist in that effort.
United States: Human Rights and Diplomatic Relations — House of Commons, 2018-06-26
Topic: International Affairs
Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson (Conservative, Centre-right): I have given several examples already of the ways in which our views coincide with those of the current American Administration. I have also said that, where our views differ, we are not afraid to say it. The fundamental point, on which the right hon. Lady and I are in complete agreement, is that it is right that the United Kingdom should welcome to this country the Head of State of our most important and most trusted ally. She is on record as saying that in the past. If she now dissents from that view, it would be surprising, and I would be interested to hear it from her own lips.
Freedom of Worship (Commonwealth) — House of Commons, 2018-06-26
Topic: International Affairs
Harriett Mary Morison Baldwin (Conservative, Centre-right): The Foreign Secretary chaired regular meetings with Cabinet colleagues on the April Commonwealth meetings objectives. The Commonwealth leaders’ communiqué emphasised that full social, economic and political participation for all irrespective of religion is essential for democracy and sustainable development.
Freedom of Worship (Commonwealth) — House of Commons, 2018-06-26
Topic: International Affairs
Harriett Mary Morison Baldwin (Conservative, Centre-right): Yes, I can confirm that. Further to the very widely attended Westminster Hall debate last month, I can assure the hon. Lady that at all parts of our diplomatic network we raise these issues at the highest level.
Freedom of Worship (Commonwealth) — House of Commons, 2018-06-26
Topic: International Affairs
Harriett Mary Morison Baldwin (Conservative, Centre-right): Specifically on the situation in Nigeria, I can assure the hon. Gentleman that we regularly raise these issues at the highest level with our friends in Nigeria. We are aware that these conflicts are often driven by conflict over land, grazing rights and water. They should not necessarily always be characterised by religious difference.
Freedom of Worship (Commonwealth) — House of Commons, 2018-06-26
Topic: International Affairs
Stephen Daniel Double (Conservative, Centre-right): Sadly, around the world today we are seeing a rise in the level of persecution of Christians, particularly across the middle east. Will the Minister confirm that the Foreign and Commonwealth Office remains committed to protecting and promoting religious freedom, particularly of Christians who are persecuted around the world?
Kurdistan and Iraq — House of Commons, 2018-06-26
Topic: International Affairs
Alistair James Hendrie Burt (Conservative, Centre-right): Through ministerial and other engagements, we are urging the Government of Iraq and the Kurdistan regional government to resolve differences on all immediate issues. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has pressed this message with Iraqi Prime Minister Abadi. The national elections in May were a pivotal moment. With Daesh defeated territorially in Iraq, the next challenge is winning the peace.
Kurdistan and Iraq — House of Commons, 2018-06-26
Topic: International Affairs
Alistair James Hendrie Burt (Conservative, Centre-right): It is a constant part of the conversation we have in Iraq and in other places to make sure that as the country moves forward, particularly after a relatively successful election process, all sections of the community are included in future. When we meet Iraqi parliamentarians, as well as Ministers, we stress that a country is not complete unless women are playing a foremost part both in ministerial and civic society life.
Kurdistan and Iraq — House of Commons, 2018-06-26
Topic: International Affairs
Alistair James Hendrie Burt (Conservative, Centre-right): Questions of the constitutional structure of Iraq are not for the United Kingdom. There is regular dialogue between different sections of the community in Iraq about the proper constitutional processes and structures that will help all parts of the community to develop effectively and strongly. It is essential that the new Government recognise the needs of all sections of Iraqi society.
Kurdistan and Iraq — House of Commons, 2018-06-26
Topic: International Affairs
Alistair James Hendrie Burt (Conservative, Centre-right): It is true to say that, in the formation of the new Iraqi Government, there are many interests from countries in the region. What is essential is that the new Iraqi Government demonstrate their independence and determination to run Iraq without external interference, and stand up for the needs of all their communities to make sure that the disaster that befell Iraq in the past, when other communities were not properly represented, does not happen again.
Nord Stream 2 — House of Commons, 2018-06-26
Topic: Energy
Alan James Carter Duncan (Conservative, Centre-right): We recognise that Nord Stream 2 is a controversial proposal, as it would be a gas pipeline that would bypass Ukraine and give Russia greater dominance over the European energy market. The UK is not significantly affected, but we are none the less in regular contact with Germany and Ukraine to discuss and assess the situation.
Nord Stream 2 — House of Commons, 2018-06-26
Topic: Energy
Alan James Carter Duncan (Conservative, Centre-right): I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for his appreciation of my skills as a former oil trader. Nord Stream is indeed a pipeline that takes gas from Russia to Germany through international waters, until Denmark, and then it makes landfall in northern Germany. It is primarily a matter for those countries but, as he says, it is of extreme strategic importance to Ukraine, which I fully recognise. That is why we have had meetings with the chief executive of NAFTA. It is also significant to note that, on 10 April, Chancellor Merkel stated that Nord Stream 2, as a project, "is not possible without clarity on the future transit role of Ukraine".
Nord Stream 2 — House of Commons, 2018-06-26
Topic: Energy
Thomas Georg John Tugendhat (Conservative, Centre-right): I welcome the Minister’s statement. He is more than aware from his many trips around Europe, and indeed his expert understanding of the energy business and the United States, of the potential impact on not only eastern Europe, but our forward defences because of that. Does he agree that working together with allies around the Baltic, where this pipeline seems to be going to flow, would be very much in our national interest and that the UK very definitely has an interest in making sure that Russia does not complete this project?
Nord Stream 2 — House of Commons, 2018-06-26
Topic: Energy
Alan James Carter Duncan (Conservative, Centre-right): I reiterate that, in terms of our actual energy supplies, Russia accounts for only about 1% of UK gas demand, so it is very small and most of it comes from Qatar and elsewhere. However, this pipeline is potentially of strategic importance for the influence of Russia, as my hon. Friend the Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee rightly says, so of course we are in discussion with Germany and other interested parties about the significance of the proposed pipeline.
Israel and Palestine — House of Commons, 2018-06-26
Topic: International Affairs
Alistair James Hendrie Burt (Conservative, Centre-right): We support a negotiated two-state solution. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary spoke to President Abbas and Prime Minister Netanyahu on 16 May and reiterated the need for progress. We remain concerned by proposals to demolish Khan al-Ahmar and by new Israeli settlement plans. The Foreign Secretary urged Israel to reconsider when he met Prime Minister Netanyahu on 6 June. I visited Khan al-Ahmar in May and afterwards raised our concerns with my Israeli counterparts and with the Israeli ambassador to the UK.
Israel and Palestine — House of Commons, 2018-06-26
Topic: International Affairs
Alistair James Hendrie Burt (Conservative, Centre-right): When I made a statement about that, I drew attention to the point the hon. Gentleman mentioned in the first part of his question about how it might possibly be construed. In relation to the second part, if there is further development in that area, it does indeed call into question the viability of a two-state solution.
Israel and Palestine — House of Commons, 2018-06-26
Topic: International Affairs
Alistair James Hendrie Burt (Conservative, Centre-right): I am not sure about the second part because we do raise issues of human rights, particularly in relation to settlements and the like. On the first part, yes, the concern about the location of Khan al-Ahmar—its close proximity to E1 and the possibility of development there being a bar to contiguity—is indeed a concern for the whole of the international community. It is still possible for any demolition not to go ahead.
Israel and Palestine — House of Commons, 2018-06-26
Topic: International Affairs
Alistair James Hendrie Burt (Conservative, Centre-right): The concerns that my hon. Friend raises have been at the heart of the discussions on this. Israel has a judicial system. It is true that concerns about the possible demolition of Khan al-Ahmar have been raised in the Israeli courts for a lengthy period, and it has not gone ahead, as others demolitions have not gone ahead. We continue to appeal to the Israeli authorities that, despite their judicial system, the Government can make a decision in relation to Khan al-Ahmar, and the problem in relation to finding building permits in area C is well known.
Israel and Palestine — House of Commons, 2018-06-26
Topic: International Affairs
Alistair James Hendrie Burt (Conservative, Centre-right): I am not aware of any. The EU has made some claims for compensation in relation to structures, but not the UK. Again, the hon. Lady emphasises the problem in relation to settlements and structures. These are difficult issues in relation to the context of Israel and the occupied territories, and we believe this could be dealt with in a different way.
Israel and Palestine — House of Commons, 2018-06-26
Topic: International Affairs
Alistair James Hendrie Burt (Conservative, Centre-right): As always, we condemn any terrorist attack. Hamas’s policy on Israel is well known. We have no contact with Hamas and, until it moves on the Quartet principles, it is unlikely to play a serious part in the future of Gaza.
Israel and Palestine — House of Commons, 2018-06-26
Topic: International Affairs
Alistair James Hendrie Burt (Conservative, Centre-right): No one should dismiss any possibility for the peace plan. This is a first-term President who has expressed his determination through his envoys to bring something forward. There is concern that nothing has come forward yet, but it is a question of timing, and various parts of the plan have been spoken about with different entities. It is important, if it comes forward, that it be given every chance of success. The region and the world cannot wait forever for a resolution to this issue, and we would wish the prospects for a settlement well when the plan comes forward.
Israel and Palestine — House of Commons, 2018-06-26
Topic: International Affairs
Stephen Crabb (Conservative, Centre-right): Will my right hon. Friend join me in welcoming the landmark visit today by His Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge, the first member of the royal family to officially visit Israel? The visit underlines the deep bond of friendship between the two countries.
Israel and Palestine — House of Commons, 2018-06-26
Topic: International Affairs
Alistair James Hendrie Burt (Conservative, Centre-right): Yes indeed. The Government are delighted at the visit of His Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge. It is an important opportunity for His Royal Highness to promote the strong relationships between the British, Jordanian, Israeli and Palestinian peoples.
Israel and Palestine — House of Commons, 2018-06-26
Topic: International Affairs
Alistair James Hendrie Burt (Conservative, Centre-right): The answer is probably not. Everyone knows that the right of return will be dealt with in the ultimate negotiations in relation to an agreement. There are legitimate reasons to protest in Gaza, and there is also illegitimate exploitation of those reasons.
Global Britain — House of Commons, 2018-06-26
Topic: International Affairs
Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson (Conservative, Centre-right): Global Britain is about being open, outward-looking and engaged with the world so as to maximise our influence, and I give the House the clearest recent example of that: the 28 countries that joined us in sympathetically expelling 153 Russian spies.
Global Britain — House of Commons, 2018-06-26
Topic: International Affairs
Robert William Henry Seely (Conservative, Centre-right): Does my right hon. Friend agree that this is the perfect opportunity for us to fundamentally rethink our foreign policy post-Brexit, and that more work could be done on the idea of global Britain to ensure that we have a foreign policy fit for the 21st century?
Global Britain — House of Commons, 2018-06-26
Topic: International Affairs
Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson (Conservative, Centre-right): My hon. Friend is absolutely right, and that is why we have responded to the challenges that the world presents us with today by increasing our diplomatic staff by another 250 diplomats, in addition to the 100 that we added to our European strength, and we are opening 10 new sovereign posts in the Caribbean and the Pacific, with more to come in Africa.
Global Britain — House of Commons, 2018-06-26
Topic: International Affairs
Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson (Conservative, Centre-right): As the hon. Gentleman knows, the Germans import a great deal of their gas from Russia and they are conflicted in that matter, but we continue to raise the concerns that he mentions with our German friends and of course with all the other states on the periphery of the EU that are threatened, as he says, by Russian gas politics.
Global Britain — House of Commons, 2018-06-26
Topic: International Affairs
John Simon Bercow (Conservative, Centre-right): Order. Just a hint: global Britain can potentially have links with Australia and New Zealand if that is of interest to the hon. Member for Cheadle (Mary Robinson), who has a question that might otherwise not be reached.
Global Britain — House of Commons, 2018-06-26
Topic: Foreign Trade
Questions: Thank you, Mr Speaker; it most certainly is.My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary will be aware that the Australia-United States free trade agreement was negotiated within 13 months. Can he outline what preparations his Department is making, so that when we leave the EU we can begin to negotiate speedy free trade arrangements with our Commonwealth counterparts? In the spirit of Commonwealth friendship, while he is on his feet, would he mind wishing the Socceroos every success in their game tonight?
Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson (Conservative, Centre-right): I have just been warned by the Minister for Asia and the Pacific that the Socceroos are playing Peru tonight. I have just been to Peru and I would not want to forfeit any friendship I may have acquired on that mission. We wish both sides well in that encounter. Not just the FCO, but the Department for International Trade is waiting, straining in the slips—unlike the Labour party—to do the free trade deals that my hon. Friend rightly refers to.
Global Britain — House of Commons, 2018-06-26
Topic: International Affairs
Questions: Thank you, Mr Speaker; it most certainly is.My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary will be aware that the Australia-United States free trade agreement was negotiated within 13 months. Can he outline what preparations his Department is making, so that when we leave the EU we can begin to negotiate speedy free trade arrangements with our Commonwealth counterparts? In the spirit of Commonwealth friendship, while he is on his feet, would he mind wishing the Socceroos every success in their game tonight?
Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson (Conservative, Centre-right): May I thank the hon. Gentleman for his question because, as the House may know, the National Security Council is about to consider a substantial uplift in our engagement in Afghanistan? It is a timely moment to assess the worthwhile aspects of that offer. I believe the UK has contributed massively to modern Afghanistan. Life expectancy for males is up 10 years since the UK first went there as part of the NATO operation; female education—girls attending school—has gone from 3% to 47%; huge tracts of the country are now electrified that were not. We have much to be proud of in our engagement with Afghanistan.
Turkey — House of Commons, 2018-06-26
Topic: International Affairs
Alan James Carter Duncan (Conservative, Centre-right): Following the re-election of President Erdoğan and the AKP party on Sunday, we look forward to continuing our close co-operation with Turkey. Turkey continues to face serious terrorist threats from the PKK and Daesh, and from the Syria conflict. We are a close partner of Turkey and we co-operate strongly on counter-terrorism in particular.
Turkey — House of Commons, 2018-06-26
Topic: International Affairs
Alan James Carter Duncan (Conservative, Centre-right): That is a perfectly valid question. This is something that we raise on every occasion that we meet Ministers from Turkey. The Prime Minister spoke to President Erdoğan last night, both to congratulate him but also to ensure that the findings of the OSCE office for democratic institutions and human rights report, which released its preliminary findings yesterday, are fully upheld.
Turkey — House of Commons, 2018-06-26
Topic: International Affairs
Richard Grosvenor Plunkett-Ernle-Erle-Drax (Conservative, Centre-right): As a former journalist of many years standing, I feel a particular affinity for the hundreds of journalists who are jailed in Turkey and no doubt being brutally treated. Will the Government tell the House what they are doing to highlight the plight of those brave men and women?
Turkey — House of Commons, 2018-06-26
Topic: International Affairs
Alan James Carter Duncan (Conservative, Centre-right): A fundamental principle of our foreign policy is to defend freedom of expression and media freedom in all the countries we have associations with. This is something that we raise on a regular basis with all our counterparts in Turkey.
Turkey — House of Commons, 2018-06-26
Topic: International Affairs
Alan James Carter Duncan (Conservative, Centre-right): I can assure the right hon. Lady that one of the advantages of our close association with Turkey is that we can speak to it very directly and firmly, in a way that many of our counterparts cannot. We have called on Turkey on many occasions to end the state of emergency that has led to many of those arrests, and we very much hope that, following the clear result of the election, the state of emergency can be lifted.
Turkey — House of Commons, 2018-06-26
Topic: International Affairs
Alan James Carter Duncan (Conservative, Centre-right): As I have just said, we have. The answer again is yes, we would like President Erdoğan to lift the state of emergency. In the course of the elections, there were sort of commitments to do so, and we hope that those commitments can be fulfilled by lifting it as soon as possible.
Illegal Wildlife Trade — House of Commons, 2018-06-26
Topic: International Affairs
Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson (Conservative, Centre-right): My hon. Friend is right on the money there, and indeed ahead of the curve. We see that risk, and that was why the Foreign and Commonwealth Office hosted a group of leading technology companies only a few weeks ago to develop new ways of combating the online trade in these specimens that he mentions.
Ocean Conservation — House of Commons, 2018-06-26
Topic: Environment
Peter Heaton-Jones (Conservative, Centre-right): Global ocean conservation must begin at home, so will the Minister join me in welcoming many local initiatives around the coastline of Britain, which are playing such a vital role—particularly, I am bound to say, around the beautiful coastline of North Devon?
Ocean Conservation — House of Commons, 2018-06-26
Topic: Environment
Alan James Carter Duncan (Conservative, Centre-right): We all commend the efforts of local communities. Growing awareness and subsequent personal choices and actions are crucial for preserving the marine environment, and we all need to assess our own habits as consumers and play our part in safeguarding our oceans.
Ocean Conservation — House of Commons, 2018-06-26
Topic: Environment
Alan James Carter Duncan (Conservative, Centre-right): I think it is fair to say that the UK is very much a world leader on oceans policy of this sort, and I hope that any kind of environmental standards that we wish to set in our oceans are not blocked for any political purposes by countries such as Russia. We are all on the same planet, we need to preserve our oceans, and I hope that our scientific lead in this area will also give us the political authority to reach the sort of agreements that we want to.
Human Rights — House of Commons, 2018-06-26
Topic: International Affairs
Mark Christopher Field (Conservative, Centre-right): Mr Speaker, I assume that everyone is so happy with the smooth operation of Asian and Pacific affairs in the Foreign Office that I have had no questions until now Promoting human rights will remain an essential aim of the foreign policy of global Britain. Foreign and Commonwealth Office Ministers and officials relentlessly defend and champion human rights in bilateral engagements, multilateral bodies and conferences, and in funding projects, particularly through the Magna Carta Fund for Human Rights and Democracy.