The Middle East: time for new realism - Lords to hold follow up session
The House of Lords International Relations Committee will hold a follow up session on Wednesday 2 May 2018 to its report 'The Middle East: Time for New Realism', which was published in May 2017.
The report called for a re-shaping of UK policy on the Middle East, arguing for a new approach and fresh thinking. The Committee were concerned that current Middle East policy was influenced by a muddled response to the Arab Spring. Recommendations also included that there can no longer be automatic reliance on American leadership, or the direction of its policy.
Discussing the report and the Government's response with the Committee will be:
- Alistair Burt MP, Minister of State for the Middle East, Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Alistair Burt MP was appointed Minister of State for the Middle East and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Minister of State at the Department for International Development on 13 June 2017. He previously served as Parliamentary Under Secretary of State in the Foreign & Commonwealth Office from May 2010 until October 2013.
Questions are likely to include:
- What is the Government's general assessment of developments in the region? How have matters changed since last year?
- How is the Government approaching the situation where a NATO ally, Turkey, is fighting Kurdish groups the UK has been supporting in Syria?
- What role can the UK play in improving relations between Gulf States with whom we have good relations such as Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE?
- What moves have we made to strengthen links with potential friends in the region?
- What further development of our soft power influence in the region has been achieved, as recommended in our report?
The session will take place from 10.40am on Wednesday 2 May 2018 in House of Lords Committee Room 4.
