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Syria

Answer

The UK, together with France, Germany and Portugal worked together to raise the situation in Syria at the United National Security Council (UNSC). The discussion on 27 April led to a broad condemnation of Syrian behaviour by a wide range of UNSC members who expressed their grave concern at the situation in an unprecedented open council meeting. We also actively supported a strong, US-tabled resolution which the UN Human Rights Council passed on 29 April condemning Syria's conduct and launching a fact-finding mission to investigate human rights abuses. The UK has worked closely with EU and other international partners to press the Syrian authorities to stop the violence and respect basic and universal human rights to the freedoms of expression and assembly. In collaboration with selected European partners, the Permanent Under-Secretary of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Head of the Diplomatic Service summoned the Syrian ambassador in London on 27 April to set out UK concerns and the need for an end to violence and the implementation of genuine reform. The EU also decided on 29 April to implement an arms embargo against Syria, to take the offer of an association agreement off the table and to review all EU co-operation with Syria, including through the European Neighbourhood Partnership. The UK pressed strongly for these steps. We will continue to work with our partners to ensure that those responsible for the violence are held personally to account. In this context, the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right honourable friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague) welcomed the EU's decision on 29 April to accelerate work on targeted measures against those responsible.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

8741; 727 c266-7WA

Session

2010-12

Subjects

Demonstrations Politics and government Violence Syria

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk