UK Ready to Help Returning Jihadists If They Have 'Good Intentions'

The government will help British jihadists who return to the UK from Syria and Iraq, if they have “good intentions” about stopping others joining the conflict, former Foreign Secretary William Hague said.

William Hague: The Situation for LGBT People ‘Is Worsening’ in Many Countries

PINK NEWS: PinkNews Exclusive [–] In his first major speech on LGBT rights, the former Foreign Secretary William Hague, has warned that the situation for gay people abroad “is worsening” in many countries.

Speaking at the annual PinkNews Awards in Speaker’s House, Mr Hague, the First Secretary of State and Leader of the House of Commons spoke of his time in the Foreign Office, and the importance of the “abolition of draconian laws that restrict the lives of LGBT people in other countries”.

He said such laws “subject innocent people to imprisonment, violence and stigmatisation.”

“While we’re making progress in Britain and elsewhere because the situation in other countries is not only difficult it is worsening as you know. It is completely incompatible with international human rights laws to make illegal consenting same-sex relations and to deny rights to people on the basis of their sexuality. (+ video) » | Joseph Patrick McCormick | Thursday, October 30, 2014

France Says Britain Must Extend Sanctions to Russian Oligarchs in London

Laurent Fabius, Foreign Minister of France

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: France's foreign minister Laurent Fabius tells William Hague oligarchs should suffer

Britain should target the assets of Russian oligarchs in London if more sanctions are adopted against Moscow over Ukraine, France’s foreign minister has said.

Laurent Fabius made the remarks as he said France might envisage suspending a €1.2billion (£1billion) contract to supply two warships to Russia.

The decision not to deliver two Mistral-class helicopter carriers, he said, could be part of a potential “third level” of sanctions if Russia did not respond to those imposed by the European Union and the US on Monday on a number of top Russian and Ukrainian figures.

But he insisted this could only take place “in the framework of general sanctions imposed by all countries”.

Mr Fabius went on to single out Britain, saying it must do “the equivalent with the assets of Russian oligarchs in London. Sanctions have to touch everyone”. » | Henry Samuel, in Paris and Bruno Waterfield in Brussels | Tuesday, March 18, 2014

Hague: "There Are Still Many Dangers" Facing Ukraine

BBC: The UK foreign secretary William Hague has told the Andrew Marr Show "there are still many dangers" facing Ukraine and the position of the opposition is "complex".

Speaking on the programme, Mr Hague said it was urgent that the Ukrainian government agree a constitution and improve their economic situation.

The foreign secretary said he was in constant discussion with Russia and warned Russia not to do "anything to undermine" the Ukrainian economic programme. » | Sunday, February 23, 2014

William Hague Pledges to "Seize the Moment" at Iran Nuclear Talks - But France Warns of "Sucker's Deal"

Fabius: French Foreign Minister | Hague: British Foreign Secretary

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Progress is made, but the British Foreign Secretary cautions that difficult issues remain unresolved - and his French counterpart takes tough line

William Hague praised Iran's representatives for adopting a "completely different" approach at the negotiations in Geneva, but cautioned against expecting an imminent deal.

Speaking on Saturday as the talks continued for an unplanned third day, the Foreign Secretary pledged to "seize the moment and seize the opportunity to reach a deal that has eluded the world".

He told journalists that "good progress" had been made - but there was no deadline for signing an agreement and it may not be possible on Saturday. If necessary, the six world powers who negotiate with Iran on the nuclear issue could reconvene at a later date.

Mr Hague acknowledged that a "wide number of issues have been satisfactorily addressed" and the "atmosphere is completely different".

Laurent Fabius, the French foreign minister, was more cautious than his British counterpart, telling a radio station there was "no certainty" of agreement and warning against a "sucker's deal". Mr Fabius added: "There is an initial draft that we do not accept." » | David Blair, Saturday, November 09, 2013

Syria: West Vows to Increase Backing for Rebels

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Britain, France and the United States agreed to strengthen the Syrian opposition and increase pressure on President Bashar al-Assad to respect a deal to give up his chemical weapons arsenal to avoid military action.

But Russia warned that talks between the three powers in Paris on a “strong” United Nations resolution on Syria could wreck peace efforts.

Britain, France and the US agreed that Assad would face “serious consequences” if he fails to comply with a UN resolution setting out a timetable for the handover of Syria’s chemical weapons to international control, French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said at a joint press conference.

John Kerry, the US secretary of state, said the allies were committed to keeping up the pressure on Assad following a deal between the US and Russia on the handover of Syrian chemical weapons reached in Geneva on Saturday.

"If the Assad regime believes that this is not enforceable and we are not serious, they will play games...The military option is still on the table,” he said. » | Henry Samuel, Paris | Monday, September 16, 2013

Syrie : Paris menace Damas »

Saif al-Islam Gaddafi's Lawyer Calls for UK Intervention over Execution Fears

THE GUARDIAN: William Hague criticised by UK barrister for failing to back ICC ruling ordering Libya to hand over dictator's son to Hague court

The British lawyer representing Saif al-Islam Gaddafi has called on the UK to intervene on his client's behalf amid fears that the son of the former Libyan dictator will be sentenced to death in a trial expected later in August.

In a letter to the foreign secretary, John Jones QC urged the government to condemn Libya's refusal to hand over his client to the international criminal court to face charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Tripoli has so far refused to comply with the ICC's order that Gaddafi be sent to The Hague, in the Netherlands, and said repeatedly it would hold its own trial.

Last week a court in Misrata handed down the death sentence to Libya's former education minister Ahmed Ibrahim, and Jones fears that Gaddafi, 41, may share the same fate. » | Chris Stephen in Tripoli | Thursday, August 08, 2013

G8 Warns Syria of 'Serious International Response' Over Chemical Weapons
G8 foreign ministers warned Syria that using chemical weapons would trigger a global response and declared they were appalled by the humanitarian toll of the conflict.

John Kerry: Bashar Al-Assad Must Step Down in Syria
During his first visit to the UK as new US secretary of state, John Kerry condemns the "indiscriminate killing of innocent civillians" in Syria.

The Arab Spring Turns Sour for America
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: The murder of the US ambassador to Libya is a shocking reminder to Barack Obama that helping to overthrow dictators does not guarantee stability in the region

For anyone who still clings to a naive belief that recent dramatic changes to the political landscape of the Middle East have made the world a safer place, the murder of the US Ambassador to Libya and three other embassy staff on the anniversary of the September 11 attacks should act as a brutal wake-up call.

For more than a year, politicians on both sides of the Atlantic have given their enthusiastic backing to the seismic changes taking place among the ruling elites who have dominated the region for decades. As dictator after dictator has been removed from power, either through force of arms or the overwhelming strength of popular discontent, Western leaders have universally given their support to what they mistakenly identified as an “Arab Spring” of Western-style pro-democracy movements sweeping aside despotism.

In Washington President Barack Obama has sought, from the start of his presidency, a “new beginning” for America’s problematic relationship with the Muslim world. He has given unqualified support to those campaigning for change in the major Arab capitals, actively encouraging the overthrow of one of Washington’s longest-serving allies, Egypt’s President Hosni Mubarak, and backing the military campaign to overthrow Libya’s Colonel Muammar Gaddafi.

In London, a similarly proactive stance has been adopted by the Coalition. David Cameron and former French president Nicolas Sarkozy were at the forefront of last year’s Nato-led coalition to effect regime change in Tripoli, while William Hague regularly lectures his Foreign Office staff that it is important for Britain to be seen to support the reformers clamouring for change in the Middle East.

But as the brutal murders of US Ambassador Chris Stevens and his colleagues in the Libyan coastal city of Benghazi have demonstrated, the wave of change sweeping the region is not without risk. It is still too early to say for sure who was responsible for the attack on Mr Stevens’s convoy as he was being evacuated from the American consulate following an assault by a mob of anti-American protesters, but this tragic episode certainly brings into stark relief the dangerous currents that are swirling beneath the reform movements. Read on and comment » | Con Coughlin | Wednesday, September 12, 2012

William Hague Visits Syrian Refugees in Jordan
During a visit to a refugee camp in Jordan, William Hague says President Bashar al-Assad's regime is cracking down on civilians in Syria. The foreign secretary was taken by helicopter to the refugee camp near Jordan's border with Syria. More than 110,000 Syrians have registered with the UN refugee agency since April