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May urged to address human rights concerns in trade deal with Gulf May urged to address human rights concerns in trade deal with Gulf May urged to address human rights concerns in trade deal with Gulf
(about 4 hours later)
Theresa May has been urged not to set aside human rights concerns in pursuit of a lucrative post-Brexit free trade deal with the Gulf states when she visits Bahrain this week.Theresa May has been urged not to set aside human rights concerns in pursuit of a lucrative post-Brexit free trade deal with the Gulf states when she visits Bahrain this week.
May is traveling to attend the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) annual summit in Manama. The largest political party in Bahrain has been banned from the summit and both Bahrain and Saudi Arabia have been heavily criticised for their conduct in their bombing campaign in the Yemen civil war. May is travelling to attend the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) annual summit in Manama. The largest political party in Bahrain has been banned from the summit and both Bahrain and Saudi Arabia have been heavily criticised for their conduct in their bombing campaign in the Yemen civil war.
Liam Fox, the international trade secretary, and many Conservative MPs, believe a trade deal with the Gulf could become one of the UK can seal post-Brexit. But the Gulf states might demand visa free travel in return, something May will be reluctant to concede. Liam Fox, the international trade secretary, and many Conservative MPs believe a trade deal with the Gulf could become one of the first deals the UK can seal post-Brexit. But the Gulf states might demand visa-free travel in return, something May will be reluctant to concede.
Fox has twice visited the region since he was appointed international trade secretary and has well-established personal contacts there, partly due to his experience as defence secretary.Fox has twice visited the region since he was appointed international trade secretary and has well-established personal contacts there, partly due to his experience as defence secretary.
Despite having a free trade agreement with the European Free Trade Area, the Gulf states have failed to strike a trade deal with the EU after 25 years of negotiations, and talks with Brussels have effectively been on ice since 2008. In 2015, UK exports to the GCC were £22bn, higher than British exports to China and more than double those to India.Despite having a free trade agreement with the European Free Trade Area, the Gulf states have failed to strike a trade deal with the EU after 25 years of negotiations, and talks with Brussels have effectively been on ice since 2008. In 2015, UK exports to the GCC were £22bn, higher than British exports to China and more than double those to India.
The chair of the foreign affairs select committee, Crispin Blunt, has claimed: “In the age we are in now and the scale of the UK interest in the region means I suspect that the first trade deal we are able to bring home once we have formally left the European Union will be with the Gulf Cooperation Council. They were bounced off by the EU”. The chair of the foreign affairs select committee, Crispin Blunt, said: “In the age we are in now and the scale of the UK interest in the region, means I suspect that the first trade deal we are able to bring home once we have formally left the European Union will be with the Gulf Cooperation Council. They were bounced off by the EU.”
The GCC summit, an annual meeting of Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar , is this year held in Manama, Bahrain. May is expected to speak at a dinner on Tuesday. She is the third western leader and first female leader to speak at the summit.The GCC summit, an annual meeting of Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar , is this year held in Manama, Bahrain. May is expected to speak at a dinner on Tuesday. She is the third western leader and first female leader to speak at the summit.
The two-day GCC summit is likely to discuss whether it should form a tighter economic Gulf union, including a single market, single currency and customs union modelled on the EU.The two-day GCC summit is likely to discuss whether it should form a tighter economic Gulf union, including a single market, single currency and customs union modelled on the EU.
Both Saudi Arabia and Bahrain have been pressing the idea of a Gulf Union since 2012 arguing that world insecurity, including the threat posed by Iran, makes the case for forming a large, more unified bloc. Huge democratic and social obstacles lie in front of the project, including concerns about loss of national sovereignty. Both Saudi Arabia and Bahrain have been pressing the idea of a Gulf Union since 2012, arguing that world insecurity, including the threat posed by Iran, makes the case for forming a large, more unified bloc. Huge democratic and social obstacles lie in front of the project, including concerns about loss of national sovereignty.
UK security and economic ties with Bahrain have been especially close and King Hamad of Bahrain extended the invitation to May, when he visited Downing Street in October. Prince Charles also visited Bahrain last month, along with Camilla Duchess of Cornwall, where he opened a wing of the new Royal Navy base, the construction of which has been funded by the King of Bahrain. During her visit the Duchess of Cornwall raised the issue of women’s rights and domestic violence, setting a bar for the prime minister. UK security and economic ties with Bahrain have been especially close and King Hamad of Bahrain extended the invitation to May, when he visited Downing Street in October. Prince Charles also visited Bahrain last month, along with Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, where he opened a wing of the new Royal Navy base, the construction of which has been funded by the King of Bahrain. During her visit the Duchess of Cornwall raised the issue of women’s rights and domestic violence, setting a bar for the prime minister.
But in a letter sent to May and published on Sunday the rights groups, including Human Rights Watch, Reprieve and the Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy (BIRD), claim: “The Bahraini authorities’ orchestrated attack on the rights to free expression, assembly and association, has seriously undermined the prospects of a political solution to Bahrain’s domestic unrest.” But in a letter sent to May and published on Sunday the rights groups, including Human Rights Watch, Reprieve and the Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy (BIRD), claim: “The Bahraini authorities’ orchestrated attack on the rights to free expression, assembly and association, has seriously undermined the prospects of a political solution to Bahrain’s domestic unrest.
“If your government is serious about its commitment to encouraging reform and dialogue, you should use this influence to press the government of Bahrain to put an immediate stop to this repression.”“If your government is serious about its commitment to encouraging reform and dialogue, you should use this influence to press the government of Bahrain to put an immediate stop to this repression.”
In particular, the groups urge the prime minister to call for the release of arrested human rights defender Nabeel Rajab who has been held in solitary confinement in police custody since June 2016. Rajab is facing up to 15 years in prison on charges of insulting a neighbouring state, spreading rumours in wartime and insulting a statutory body. These charges relate to his criticism of the humanitarian cost of the war in Yemen, in which Bahrain is a participant, and for his documentation of torture in Bahrain’s Central Jau Prison. He faces another charge of defaming the state after he wrote a letter to the New York Times in September 2016.In particular, the groups urge the prime minister to call for the release of arrested human rights defender Nabeel Rajab who has been held in solitary confinement in police custody since June 2016. Rajab is facing up to 15 years in prison on charges of insulting a neighbouring state, spreading rumours in wartime and insulting a statutory body. These charges relate to his criticism of the humanitarian cost of the war in Yemen, in which Bahrain is a participant, and for his documentation of torture in Bahrain’s Central Jau Prison. He faces another charge of defaming the state after he wrote a letter to the New York Times in September 2016.
Sheikh Ali Salman, the Shia leader of the largest opposition party, has been jailed for nine years.Sheikh Ali Salman, the Shia leader of the largest opposition party, has been jailed for nine years.
The human rights abuses in Bahrain are a specific British concern, as the UK government has provided technical assistance since 2012 to help implement police and judicial reform.The human rights abuses in Bahrain are a specific British concern, as the UK government has provided technical assistance since 2012 to help implement police and judicial reform.
The UK helped to set up two bodies – the Ombudsman of the Ministry of Interior and the Special Investigations Unit within the Public Prosecution Office, both of which receive training and capacity building support from the UK. Both were established in 2012 in the wake of the Bahraini government’s brutal crackdown on protests the previous year.The UK helped to set up two bodies – the Ombudsman of the Ministry of Interior and the Special Investigations Unit within the Public Prosecution Office, both of which receive training and capacity building support from the UK. Both were established in 2012 in the wake of the Bahraini government’s brutal crackdown on protests the previous year.
The foreign secretary Boris Johnson speaking on BBC’s Andrew Marr Show again insisted he was concerned about the Saudi-led bombing campaign in Yemen, saying he had spoken to the Saudi foreign minister about the issue only this weekend.The foreign secretary Boris Johnson speaking on BBC’s Andrew Marr Show again insisted he was concerned about the Saudi-led bombing campaign in Yemen, saying he had spoken to the Saudi foreign minister about the issue only this weekend.
But Johnson said he believed the Saudi campaign did not represent a serious risk of war crimes violations. He said the UK was not involved in helping Saudi Arabia to set bomb targets, but instead was advising on how to set targets.But Johnson said he believed the Saudi campaign did not represent a serious risk of war crimes violations. He said the UK was not involved in helping Saudi Arabia to set bomb targets, but instead was advising on how to set targets.