Liam Fox – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Liam Fox on 2014-06-12.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what efforts his Department is making to support the Iraqi government in maintaining stability in that country.

Hugh Robertson

We are continuing to play an active role, providing a range of political and humanitarian support. On 12 June, we deployed a team of humanitarian experts to Northern Iraq. The Secretary of State for International Development, my right hon. Friend the Member for Putney (Justine Greening) subsequently announced a £3million emergency aid package for civilians fleeing the violence in Mosul and surrounding areas. The package will help provide clean water and sanitation and essential medicine, as well as help the UNHCR establish camps for Internally Displaced People. We are continuing to monitor the situation closely and are working with key partners, including the Red Cross/Red Crescent and UN agencies.

I met Iraqi Foreign Minister Zebari in London on 12 June and underlined the our support for the Iraqi government and the people of Iraq in their struggle against terrorism. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague)has been engaging actively with international leaders in recent days on how to respond to the current situation in Iraq, including discussions with US Secretary Kerry, the Iraqi, Turkish and Iranian Foreign Ministers, and the Israeli Minister for National Security.

We have made clear the need for an inclusive and unified approach within Iraq. The immediate need is for the Iraqi Security Forces to stabilise the situation, working with civilian and regional authorities in order to establish unity and cooperation across the country. Regional actors also can and must play a constructive role.