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News Archive
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'A UNITED FRONT AGAINST TERRORISM'
In a joint press conference given by George Bush and Tony Blair at the White House on 7 November, the two leaders presented a united front against Usama bin Laden and the Al Qa'ida network. During their talks earlier in the day the President and the Prime Minister said they had discussed the military strategy in Afghanistan, the emerging humanitarian crisis and plans for the reconstruction of Afghanistan after hostilities cease. Thanking the President for his leadership and determination, Tony Blair expressed his solidarity for the war effort, saying, 'The cause is just, the strategy is there, the determination is there, and there is a complete and total commitment to making sure that this is a battle in which we will prevail'.
JACK STRAW'S MEETING WITH THE SECRETARY GENERAL OF THE ARAB LEAGUE
Jack Straw, the Foreign Secretary, issued a statement on 7 November following his meeting with the Secretary General of the Arab League, Amre Moussa. 'I welcomed Mr Moussa's recent public statement that Usama bin Laden does not speak in the name of Arabs or Muslims,' Mr Straw said. 'It is clear from the reaction of many Arabs and Muslims to Usama bin Laden's latest video that this propaganda initiative has backfired disastrously.'
JACK STRAW'S MEETING WITH THE JORDANIAN FOREIGN MINISTER
The Foreign Secretary met the Jordanian Foreign Minister, Abdul Illah Al Khatib, in London on 7 November. Mr Straw said: 'Jordan is one of Britain's key strategic partners in the Middle East. The Jordanian Government has long been a force for moderation in the region. The value of this has been underlined by the events of 11 September.'
'ASPECTS OF THE ONGOING CAMPAIGN AGAINST TERRORISM' - BLAIR
In an interview on CNN on 6 November, the Prime Minister, Tony Blair, said that the international coalition against terrorism was 'remarkably strong' and that European leaders he had met recently have 'a total determination that we would stand shoulder to shoulder with the US in seeing this through.' Mr Blair said that people concerned by the campaign should remember the reasons for it - the 11 September attacks in the US, and the need to prevent future terrorist atrocities. The humanitarian and diplomatic aspects of the campaign were also discussed, as well as the risk of nuclear and bioterrorist attacks; the Middle East Peace Process; the future government of Afghanistan; and the concerns of Muslims in Britain and other Western coutnries. Drawing parallels with Northern Ireland, Mr Blair said: 'when a Protestant gunman kills a Catholic, just because they are Catholic, you don’t call them Christian terrorists. They don’t represent the Christianity that I believe in and I think there is a genuine sense of revulsion amongst the vast majority of Muslims, even if they have hesitations about the bombing campaign... at what bin Laden has done and at what he represents.'
BARONESS AMOS CELEBRATES ‘A BREATH OF FRESH AIR’
Foreign Office Minister Baroness Amos announced on 7 November that the Foreign and Commonwealth Office was working on a joint project with the Overseas Territories and the UK Overseas Territories Conservation Forum, called ‘A Breath of Fresh Air’. The aim is to assist the territories in promoting the importance and value of the environment by educating younger people in environmental issues. Acknowledging that the rich natural environments in the Overseas Territories were under pressure, Baroness Amos said that their importance was of 'global significance'.
CHANGE OF AMBASSADOR TO MANILA
Paul Dimond has been appointed Her Majesty's Ambassador to the Republic of the Philippines in succession to Alan Collins who will be transferring to a new Diplomatic Service appointment. Mr Dimond will take up his new appointment in March 2002.
MINISTERIAL ENGAGEMENTS
In addition to their regular official and parliamentary duties,
FCO Ministers have the following public engagements...
FCO Daily Bulletin...
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