The Foreign Secretary James Cleverly met US Secretary of State Antony Blinken at the UN’s General Assembly in New York yesterday (Tuesday 20 September 2022).
Both underlined their unwavering, long-term support to Ukraine and to maintaining unity with partners to ensure Putin fails in his illegal war.
Both politicians agreed there must be no impunity for Putin’s hostility.
The Foreign Secretary also reaffirmed the UK’s commitment to maintaining the rules-based international order, peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and beyond, as the G7 set out last month.
He and the Secretary of State discussed the threat to international peace and security posed by Iran’s continued nuclear escalation. Both underlined their commitment to the security of our partners in the Middle East.
Finally, on the Northern Ireland Protocol, the Foreign Secretary re-iterated the UK’s top priority to protect the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement and get the Northern Ireland Executive up and running. He explained the Protocol is, however, causing “real problems” in Northern Ireland which we must fix. He said the UK’s preference has always been to resolve this through talks.
During Mr Cleverly’s trip, alongside the Prime Minister, the Foreign Secretary will meet his global counterparts to take action on a series of global challenges, including Russia’s malign activity and building stability in the Middle East.
Ahead of arriving in New York, Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said:
We live in an increasingly unstable, divided world. As Foreign Secretary, I will work to bring countries together to tackle aggression, overcome challenges and promote our democratic values. We will judge others on actions not words.
Every day the devastating consequences of Russia’s barbaric tactics become clearer. There must be no impunity for Putin’s hostility.
His main event of the week will be a special UN Security Council session tomorrow (Thursday) focusing on the situation in Ukraine and ensuring that Russia does not get away with its actions unpunished. The Foreign Secretary will give the UK’s intervention at the meeting, exposing Russian aggression and tactics as they seek to justify their illegal war.
Also this week, the Foreign Secretary will join partners, including fellow G7 foreign ministers, for an event on nuclear safety, as concerns around the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Station in Ukraine continue to grow.
Stability in the Middle East will be a recurring theme on the agenda in New York, with discussions set to take place on Yemen, Syria and the Gulf.
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