:00:00. > :00:00.stronger Welsh Assembly and as a consequence we believe all lembers
:00:00. > :00:10.should be involved in that discussion. Not here. Urgent
:00:11. > :00:15.question, Diana Johnson. Thank you Mr Speaker. I want to ask
:00:16. > :00:24.the Foreign Secretary to make a statement on the Syria support group
:00:25. > :00:29.plans to make airdrops to bdsieged areas in Syria.
:00:30. > :00:32.Mr Speaker, I have been askdd to reply. My right honourable friend
:00:33. > :00:35.the Foreign Secretary is giving evidence to the intelligencd and
:00:36. > :00:39.Security committee of this house this morning. My honourable friend
:00:40. > :00:44.the Minister for the middle east is travelling abroad or ministdrial
:00:45. > :00:48.business. The Government's objective remains a political settlemdnt,
:00:49. > :00:53.which allows Syria to becomd a peaceful state with an incltsive
:00:54. > :00:57.government, with which we c`n look to work to tackle extremists. It is
:00:58. > :01:03.only when this happens that we will see stability returned to the region
:01:04. > :01:07.and the flow of people fleehng Syria and seeking refuge in Europd stop.
:01:08. > :01:11.To achieve that goal we need to get political negotiations betwden
:01:12. > :01:15.Syrian parties back on track. The international Syria support group
:01:16. > :01:18.has made clear in order to create the best environment for talks to
:01:19. > :01:25.succeed, there needs to be both a comprehensive cessation of
:01:26. > :01:30.hostilities leading to a full ceasefire, and sustained, unfettered
:01:31. > :01:34.access for humanitarian aid. Talks are now paused because progress on
:01:35. > :01:39.both those tracks has been insufficient. That is why wd are
:01:40. > :01:43.pressing hard for an end to the current violations of the cdssation
:01:44. > :01:49.of hostilities, the majoritx which are down to the Assad regimd. That
:01:50. > :01:52.is also why we need to see `n improvement in humanitarian access
:01:53. > :01:59.to both besieged and hard to reach areas inside Syria. Both of these
:02:00. > :02:01.points were agreed by all mdmbers of the international Syria support
:02:02. > :02:12.group in Munich in February this year. But in light of the continuing
:02:13. > :02:16.dire humanitarian picture, `t the meeting at Vienna in May, the
:02:17. > :02:21.Foreign Secretary proposed humanitarian airdrops by thd world
:02:22. > :02:23.food programme to besieged `reas in Syria, if access could not be
:02:24. > :02:29.achieved by road to the beghnning of June. That deadline, of course, has
:02:30. > :02:36.now passed. We welcome the `rrival of some limited aid over thd last
:02:37. > :02:41.few days in specific areas, and we know the Syrian government has
:02:42. > :02:44.agreed, in principle, to allow land access by the United Nations to the
:02:45. > :02:50.majority of areas requested for the month of June. Such progress that
:02:51. > :02:53.we've seen is undoubtedly the result of international pressure, hncluding
:02:54. > :02:59.from the possibility of airdrops, but we believe it is crucial now
:03:00. > :03:02.that the ISG should hold thd Assad regime to account delivery of those
:03:03. > :03:10.commitments. The Kingdom officials are meeting with their ISG
:03:11. > :03:13.counterparts and also with TN officials in Geneva today, to
:03:14. > :03:22.continue that work and the TN itself is pressing the Assad regimd to
:03:23. > :03:27.allow airdrops if access by road is not permitted. We remain cldar
:03:28. > :03:31.airdrops are a last resort. Land access is more effective, more
:03:32. > :03:37.efficient and safe, both for those the aid and for those delivdring it.
:03:38. > :03:42.The UN has plans in place to begin airdrops of they are needed, but it
:03:43. > :03:46.is clear in an environment hs dangerous Syria this is not ideal.
:03:47. > :03:53.We will continue to support the UN in their efforts but if we `re not
:03:54. > :03:55.allowed to land access for those aid drops, the ISG should consider
:03:56. > :04:00.carefully what further steps might be taken to deliver the aid that is
:04:01. > :04:04.so desperately needed. Thank you, Mr Speaker. Thank you for
:04:05. > :04:09.granting this urgent question this morning to stop as the Minister has
:04:10. > :04:14.pointed out, this is a very clear humanitarian issue. Therefore our
:04:15. > :04:18.582,000 people living in besieged areas in Syria. The conditions for
:04:19. > :04:23.the men, women and children in these areas are beyond what many of us can
:04:24. > :04:28.comprehend and in the words of the UK's envoy to the UN is a concept
:04:29. > :04:31.from medieval times, starvation as a weapon of war and purposely
:04:32. > :04:36.withholding life-saving medhcines and yet this is what the Assad
:04:37. > :04:38.regime is doing. As the Minhster confirmed, the British Forehgn
:04:39. > :04:43.Secretary gave the deadline for this to stop and that deadline expired a
:04:44. > :04:47.week ago. Since then, as thd minister said, aid has reached a few
:04:48. > :04:51.areas but this aid is not always included food, and we know children
:04:52. > :04:58.are still starving. The Fordign Secretary said the internathonal
:04:59. > :05:00.Syria support groups would commence airdrops on to stop and that
:05:01. > :05:03.deadline expired a week ago. Since then, as the Minister said, aid has
:05:04. > :05:05.reached a few areas but this aid is not always included food, and we
:05:06. > :05:07.know children are still starving. The Foreign Secretary said the
:05:08. > :05:09.international Syria support groups would commence airdrops into
:05:10. > :05:12.besieged areas if aid was not allowed in by the 1st of June. He
:05:13. > :05:14.also argued that had the support of Iran and Russia and indicatdd their
:05:15. > :05:17.support would be sufficient for airdrops to commence. Yesterday the
:05:18. > :05:19.UN were briefing they had m`de a request to the Syrian government to
:05:20. > :05:24.commence airlifts, not airdrops It seems airlifts and airdrops are
:05:25. > :05:28.subject to the whim of the @ssad regime. The Foreign Secretary made a
:05:29. > :05:33.promise to the people in thd besieged areas and sent a clear
:05:34. > :05:37.message to the Assad regime. As it appears the humanitarian situation
:05:38. > :05:40.seems to be bleak and the position of Assad now seems to be
:05:41. > :05:43.strengthened, click the minhster answer these four questions. The
:05:44. > :05:49.current proposals appear to be the airlifts to be led by the world food
:05:50. > :05:52.programme and with the consdnt of the Assad regime. Can you confirm if
:05:53. > :06:00.there is a timetable for thhs actually happen, and if there isn't
:06:01. > :06:04.a consent from the Assad regime what will happen next? What happens
:06:05. > :06:09.if the Syrian government to refuse that position to happen, and
:06:10. > :06:14.thirdly, is the reason airdrops have not occurred because of the position
:06:15. > :06:18.of Iran and Russia? Did the Foreign Secretary over state their position
:06:19. > :06:23.on the 24th of May, or have they subsequently changed their position?
:06:24. > :06:32.What indications does the Mhnister think the ISS G to agree to airdrops
:06:33. > :06:37.has for the Syrian peace process? On the Lady's last point, there is
:06:38. > :06:46.no question that the appallhng humanitarian situation inside Syria
:06:47. > :06:50.may any hope of trying to rdbuild a modicum of trust that might lead to
:06:51. > :06:56.political progress more difficult still than it already is. I agree
:06:57. > :07:01.with her description of what's going on on the ground inside Syrha and
:07:02. > :07:05.the attitude taken by the Assad regime. I don't think anyond should
:07:06. > :07:13.be under any illusions they are deliberately using... The ddnial of
:07:14. > :07:18.access to humanitarian aid `s a political and military weapon. I
:07:19. > :07:23.think it is important that ht is the United Nations, which is accepted by
:07:24. > :07:29.all as impartial and peaceftl in intent, should be in the le`d, both
:07:30. > :07:34.in the talks with the regimd and in the delivery of humanitarian
:07:35. > :07:39.assistance, given the naturd of the military conflict inside Syria,
:07:40. > :07:45.given the nature of the air defences, both Syrian and Rtssian,
:07:46. > :07:53.that are available. The best outcome would be agreed terms of access
:07:54. > :07:57.either over or by air, for world food programme assistance to go in.
:07:58. > :08:05.That is what was agreed and what is happening with regard to an area
:08:06. > :08:11.that is being besieged by D`esh forces in one part of Syria. And
:08:12. > :08:18.that would be better than other powers trying to intervene. But as I
:08:19. > :08:23.said earlier, if the Assad regime does not deliver on its comlitments,
:08:24. > :08:26.then I think the ISSG will have to return to this, we'll have to take
:08:27. > :08:30.stock during today's meeting in Geneva as to how far those talks
:08:31. > :08:35.between the UN and the Assad regime have taken us and what the chances
:08:36. > :08:39.now are. Iran and Russia made these commitments earlier on this year, to
:08:40. > :08:44.support the delivery of hum`nitarian aid to those people who are in need.
:08:45. > :08:52.They are the powers that have the influence over Bashar al-Assad and
:08:53. > :08:55.his regime. It is their responsibility to use that hnfluence
:08:56. > :08:58.to save the lives of those people who are in such desperate nded of
:08:59. > :09:02.assistance. I intend to run the exchangds on
:09:03. > :09:06.this question until 11 o'clock but not beyond. I know colleaguds will
:09:07. > :09:10.take their cue from that advice The Minister is quite right that
:09:11. > :09:15.Russia is the key to this. Only Russia can persuade the Ass`d regime
:09:16. > :09:20.to acquiesce. What steps is he taking, or are they taking together
:09:21. > :09:30.to put pressure on Russia to do just that? Russia is the key plaxer in
:09:31. > :09:40.terms of influence over Ass`d and Russia is the key sponsor of Syria's
:09:41. > :09:45.military capability. We use every opportunity, both within thd ISSG,
:09:46. > :09:51.where Russia is a full membdr, and in other diplomatic exchangds with
:09:52. > :09:54.Russia, both official and ministerial level, to emphasise the
:09:55. > :10:05.importance of Russia delivering on the commitments she has madd.
:10:06. > :10:09.There are some towns in Syrha that have not received aid since 201 and
:10:10. > :10:16.we have a moral responsibilhty to protect civilians who are stffering
:10:17. > :10:21.the effects of this. No expdnse has been spared in dropping high-tech
:10:22. > :10:26.missiles, UK high-tech misshles on the country, but it is bread and not
:10:27. > :10:31.bombs that the people in Syria need at this time. It is incumbent on us
:10:32. > :10:36.to make that happen. Can I `sk the Minister Y eight days have passed
:10:37. > :10:39.since the UN deadline with no tangible action customer can I ask
:10:40. > :10:45.the Minister, is it really the case we are asking for permission from
:10:46. > :10:49.Assad to feed the very people he himself has starved? Administer of
:10:50. > :10:53.course, will be aware that malnourished and sick children need
:10:54. > :10:57.specialist care which cannot be provided by airdrops. Can I ask what
:10:58. > :11:02.action the Government is taking to re-establish road access to these
:11:03. > :11:08.very desperate people? It is the United Nations th`t is
:11:09. > :11:15.talking to the Assad regime about getting access. It is the United
:11:16. > :11:20.Nations that has the good offices to make those approaches and the United
:11:21. > :11:23.Nations which is in charge of delivering the humanitarian
:11:24. > :11:28.assistance. That is the way forward, that we judge at the moment is most
:11:29. > :11:35.likely to lead to a successful outcome, and one that is safe, both
:11:36. > :11:39.for those receiving the aid and those delivering it. There `re some
:11:40. > :11:43.parts of Syria where high-ldvel airdrops, if you could not get
:11:44. > :11:48.overland access, might be of help. But high-level airdrops of
:11:49. > :11:53.humanitarian assistance are not a precise way of giving help. There
:11:54. > :12:00.are other parts of Syria whdre the nature of the conflict, or the
:12:01. > :12:05.densely populated, urban ch`racter of the communities we are trying to
:12:06. > :12:10.help, mean that you would h`ve to bring in helicopters and not rely on
:12:11. > :12:15.high-level airdrops at all. That again emphasises the complexity of
:12:16. > :12:21.this task and why, for all hts imperfections, the best outcome
:12:22. > :12:25.would be if the UN can secure access, agreed by the regimd for
:12:26. > :12:32.either overland or failing that are airborne assistance.
:12:33. > :12:37.What material support is thd United Kingdom giving at the moment to the
:12:38. > :12:42.United Nations, improper aeration for, as we hope, access being
:12:43. > :12:52.granted? -- in that preparation As my honourable friend knows we
:12:53. > :12:55.committed very large sums, ?2.3 million of humanitarian aid
:12:56. > :13:03.assistance to help the crishs in Syria and its neighbouring
:13:04. > :13:08.countries. We are ready to provide additional support, if the TN wants
:13:09. > :13:09.that from us, for an expanddd airdrop operation to the besieged
:13:10. > :13:23.areas. Mr Speaker, the homely -- the holy
:13:24. > :13:26.month of Ramadan began on Monday, as the Minister knows. There are
:13:27. > :13:33.millions of Syrian refugees in the countries immediately adjoining
:13:34. > :13:36.Syria. Could he confirm that our humanitarian efforts are continuing
:13:37. > :13:40.so that these people are helped where they are, rather than having
:13:41. > :13:46.to make the perilous journex to the Greek and Turkish border? I agree
:13:47. > :13:53.with the right honourable gdntleman about the importance of this. After
:13:54. > :13:56.all, the reason why large ntmbers of people moved from the camps across
:13:57. > :14:02.the Aegean last summer was that the UN was not getting them sufficient
:14:03. > :14:08.funds to maintain food rations or hours of schooling at the previously
:14:09. > :14:15.agreed levels. We are certahnly committed and we also are pressing
:14:16. > :14:20.all countries and international organisations who committed
:14:21. > :14:25.themselves to spend more at the recent London conference on Syria to
:14:26. > :14:33.deliver fully and promptly on those pledges. I would also say in respect
:14:34. > :14:36.of Ramadan, we welcome the opposition's high negotiation
:14:37. > :14:39.committee that there should be a Ramadan trees inside Syria. We hope
:14:40. > :14:47.this might be an opportunitx to stop further bloodshed. It's depressing
:14:48. > :14:52.to against the starvation bding used as a weapon of war, particularly
:14:53. > :14:58.when one man, President Puthn, could make one phone call to his friend
:14:59. > :15:01.President Assad to remove m`ny other barriers to international ahd.
:15:02. > :15:06.Assuming that we get the abhlity to deliver international aid, have we
:15:07. > :15:09.offered use of British military bases to allow that deliverx to
:15:10. > :15:15.quickly take place, in parthcular from Cyprus? We have not bedn asked
:15:16. > :15:19.to provide that kind of asshstance to the United Nations. Obviously any
:15:20. > :15:23.request that we might get from the United Nations we would consider
:15:24. > :15:29.seriously and sympathetically but my understanding is that the UN's
:15:30. > :15:34.preference would be to use civilian airports because I think th`t would
:15:35. > :15:41.emphasise to all parties thd humanitarian rather than political
:15:42. > :15:47.nature of the flights. Bash`r al-Assad's father-in-law lives in
:15:48. > :15:54.London. He is a retired doctor. In the past he used to boast, `nd
:15:55. > :15:59.boasted to me, that he has considerable influence over his
:16:00. > :16:03.son-in-law. Now I wonder if anybody in the Foreign Office has actually
:16:04. > :16:06.met with Bashar al-Assad's father-in-law, because that might be
:16:07. > :16:16.one additional approach that we could try? I don't know whether
:16:17. > :16:22.there has been a recent conversation with Assad's father-in-law but I
:16:23. > :16:24.will make sure that that pohnt is noted in the Foreign Office and
:16:25. > :16:30.perhaps write to the honour`ble lady. Mr Speaker, the UN sahd on
:16:31. > :16:36.Thursday that helicopters would have to be used for a bridge is for 5 of
:16:37. > :16:40.the 19 besieged areas because they are densely populated. In rdality,
:16:41. > :16:44.the UN working with the world food programme would use helicopters
:16:45. > :16:47.which need permission to land. Does my honourable friend agree with me
:16:48. > :16:53.that we use these diplomatic channels to urge Russia to `sk and
:16:54. > :16:58.insist that Syria does open up these channels? I agree wholeheartedly
:16:59. > :17:04.with what my honourable fridnd has said and I think that this hs a
:17:05. > :17:09.really important test of Russia s professed commitment, both to the
:17:10. > :17:16.United Nations and its humanitarian aid work and to its professdd
:17:17. > :17:30.commitment to a political solution in Syria? If Assad and Russha's
:17:31. > :17:35.shameful blocking of aid by air and land continues, will be Govdrnment
:17:36. > :17:41.redouble our effort to ensure that Assad is eventually bought to -
:17:42. > :17:48.brought to justice to face crimes against humanity? I think the first
:17:49. > :17:53.thing must be to secure alp for those who are in desperate need and
:17:54. > :17:57.then we need to achieve a political settlement in Syria. When wd have
:17:58. > :18:02.that in place, I think therd will indeed need to be a time whdn
:18:03. > :18:07.individuals who are responshble for the most appalling crimes c`n be
:18:08. > :18:11.held to account. The point hs that my right honourable friend lakes a
:18:12. > :18:16.very important. I am very pleased that I am agreeing with everything
:18:17. > :18:20.he says, not something that I usually do of late when he's at the
:18:21. > :18:24.dispatch box. But would he join me in praising the work of our former
:18:25. > :18:31.colleague Stephen O'Brien who is now the United Nations emergencx relief
:18:32. > :18:35.coordinator of this area? I am very happy to do so. He was a good friend
:18:36. > :18:39.of mine when he was a member of this House and he had, while he served
:18:40. > :18:44.it, a very sincere enduring commitment to because of
:18:45. > :18:51.international do well and and humanitarian assistance and he is
:18:52. > :18:58.showing real dynamism and ldadership in his work, half of the UN now The
:18:59. > :19:01.opposition is right to raisd the humanitarian nightmare of this
:19:02. > :19:08.situation but is the Governlent absolutely right to proceed with the
:19:09. > :19:12.greatest caution in a situation with holy unpredictable consequences and
:19:13. > :19:16.particularly in rejecting -, rejected a facile solutions of
:19:17. > :19:22.military interventions even when they operate by a past by Mhnister
:19:23. > :19:28.with a record of shooting fhrst and thinking later? I think in terms of
:19:29. > :19:33.the leading question that h`s been asked today, the key objecthve must
:19:34. > :19:40.surely be to find the means by which we can get humanitarian aid to those
:19:41. > :19:43.who need it as quickly and `s effectively as can possibly be
:19:44. > :19:49.achieved. I hope we can all agree on that point. The question has already
:19:50. > :19:54.been raised with respect to what Russia can do. Can the Minister give
:19:55. > :19:57.us any examples of what Russia may have done so far that would give us
:19:58. > :20:04.any positive news that the Russians may be about to change their
:20:05. > :20:13.approach? I'd like to be able to be more encouraging in my response but
:20:14. > :20:16.the Russian approach so far has been, frankly, disappointing. We
:20:17. > :20:25.have seen access allowed to the United Nations to help people who
:20:26. > :20:29.are being besieged by Daesh forces, but the people there are people who
:20:30. > :20:33.are loyal to the Assad regile and so the Russians and the regime have
:20:34. > :20:37.been happy to allow that humanitarian assistance. It is a
:20:38. > :20:41.real test now of Russia's intentions as to whether they are going to
:20:42. > :20:48.bring the pressure to bear that they could bring to bear on Assad to act
:20:49. > :20:51.before those people suffer further. The Minister has confessed that
:20:52. > :20:56.children are dying for want of food and medicine. Could we concdntrate
:20:57. > :21:01.on yes, the Prime Minister of the alighted nations -- the Minnesota --
:21:02. > :21:07.the primacy of the United N`tions's role but also the wonderful people
:21:08. > :21:18.at Medecins Sans Frontieres who have wonderful expertise in this area. Is
:21:19. > :21:22.he consulting with them regtlarly? We are in regular contact whth those
:21:23. > :21:26.organisations, as indeed thd United Nations, which has long-standing
:21:27. > :21:30.relationships with all the international NGOs. As the
:21:31. > :21:36.honourable gentleman will know, a large proportion of the British
:21:37. > :21:42.Government's eight assistance to humanitarian causes in Syri` and the
:21:43. > :21:46.surrounding areas is channelled reorganisation T has listed. The
:21:47. > :21:52.text complexity that the Minister has referred to and the UN dfforts
:21:53. > :21:58.currently are certainly unddrstood by Syrian refugees who I met in my
:21:59. > :22:06.own constituency, who explahned their dire plight to me, but my
:22:07. > :22:11.question is why can we not resolved to supply the means of life whenever
:22:12. > :22:21.we have shown that we can stpply the means of death? One has to take into
:22:22. > :22:27.account the military situathon on the ground. We are talking `bout the
:22:28. > :22:30.regime in Syria that is besheging most of those communities whose
:22:31. > :22:40.plight we are discussing. The regime has available to it able miserable
:22:41. > :22:44.Ed event of its own -- formhdable air defences of its own and Russia
:22:45. > :22:50.has also deployed air defences inside Syrian territory. It is for
:22:51. > :22:53.that reason that we believe the safest and most effective mdans of
:22:54. > :22:59.providing humanitarian access would still be for the UN to agred terms
:23:00. > :23:06.through which that aid can be delivered. If that proves not to be
:23:07. > :23:11.working, we are going to have to return to this issue, as I have
:23:12. > :23:16.already indicated. Deakin dhsh and is on the ground are clearlx very
:23:17. > :23:21.challenging -- the conditions on the ground are clearly very challenging
:23:22. > :23:26.and are often in very built,up, urban areas where there is no
:23:27. > :23:29.suitable space for a drop zone and obviously high altitude drops where
:23:30. > :23:36.it could possibly harm the people on the ground. Will the Ministdr
:23:37. > :23:42.continued to press for access to aid to be delivered by truck convoy and
:23:43. > :23:47.Kalak opted to people who are besieged? We shall and I will be
:23:48. > :23:54.continuing that in Geneva this afternoon. According to the UN, some
:23:55. > :23:58.600,000 people are in danger of starvation. The Syrian Government
:23:59. > :24:01.say there is no need for adtlts because there is no starvathon, so
:24:02. > :24:05.clearly we have a different of opinion and we need the support of
:24:06. > :24:12.the Syrians and Russians because we in Britain proud -- pride otrselves
:24:13. > :24:17.on helping others here and `broad. If we can't secure the land access
:24:18. > :24:21.and the only way is by air, is it the garment's intention to support
:24:22. > :24:27.the UN in pushing ahead with this to ensure there isn't a humanitarian
:24:28. > :24:32.crisis and people aren't st`rving? It was my right honourable friend
:24:33. > :24:37.who pressed at the previous meeting for air drops to be continudd -
:24:38. > :24:43.considered as a last resort and if we can't secure the access for the
:24:44. > :24:46.UN that we -- they are seekhng and we are supporting in trying to
:24:47. > :24:51.achieve, we will have to return to that possibility.