Editing William Hague (section)

====Syria====
{{Over-quotation|section|date=May 2024}}
Speaking on the [[Syrian civil war]], in August 2011, Hague said of military intervention: "It's not a remote possibility. Even if we were in favour [of UN-backed military action], which we are not because there's no call from the Arab League for intervention as in the case of Libya, there is no prospect of a legal, morally sanctioned military intervention. Hague added that it was a "frustrating situation" and that the "levers" at the international community's disposal were severely limited but said countries had to concentrate on other ways of influencing the Assad government. "We want to see stronger international pressure all round. Of course, to be effective that just can't be pressure from Western nations, that includes from Arab nations... and it includes from Turkey who has been very active in trying to persuade President Assad to reform instead of embarking on these appalling actions", he said. "I would also like to see a [[United Nations Security Council resolution]] to condemn this violence, to call for the release of political prisoners, to call for legitimate grievances to be responded to", he added.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Syria: William Hague says no possiblity &#91;sic&#93; of military intervention|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/syria/8674396/Syria-William-Hague-says-no-possiblity-of-military-intervention.html|access-date=31 October 2021|website=The Daily Telegraph|date=August 2011 |archive-date=19 October 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171019011813/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/syria/8674396/Syria-William-Hague-says-no-possiblity-of-military-intervention.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

During 2012, the UK started training Syrian opposition activists in [[Istanbul]] on media, civil society and local government matters, and supplying non-lethal equipment such as satellite communications and computers.<ref name=telegraph-20120826>{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/syria/9500503/Britain-and-US-plan-a-Syrian-revolution-from-an-innocuous-office-block-in-Istanbul.html |title=Britain and US plan a Syrian revolution from an innocuous office block in Istanbul |last=McElroy |first=Damien |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |date=26 August 2012 |access-date=23 February 2018 |archive-date=24 February 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180224053221/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/syria/9500503/Britain-and-US-plan-a-Syrian-revolution-from-an-innocuous-office-block-in-Istanbul.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=foreignpolicy-20121010>{{cite news |url=https://foreignpolicy.com/2012/10/10/holding-civil-society-workshops-while-syria-burns/ |title=Holding Civil Society Workshops While Syria Burns |last=Vela |first=Justin |newspaper=Foreign Policy |date=10 October 2012 |access-date=23 February 2018 |archive-date=24 February 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180224112840/http://foreignpolicy.com/2012/10/10/holding-civil-society-workshops-while-syria-burns/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

On 24 February 2012, Hague recognised the [[Syrian National Council]] as a "legitimate representative" of the country. Hague also said [[Bashar al-Assad]]'s government had "forfeited the right to lead" by "miring itself in the blood of innocent people". Hague said: "Today we must show that we will not abandon the Syrian people in their darkest hour". He added that "Those responsible for the murder of entire families, the shelling of homes, the execution of detainees, the cleansing of political opponents and the torture and rape of women and children must be held to account", he said.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-17157497|publisher=BBC|title=UK boosts Syria opposition ties, William Hague reveals|date=24 February 2012|access-date=20 June 2018|archive-date=2 December 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181202192337/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-17157497|url-status=live}}</ref>

In March 2012, Hague ordered the evacuation of all British diplomats from [[Syria]] and closed the UK embassy in Damascus because of mounting security threats. Hague told Parliament: "We have maintained an embassy in [[Damascus]] despite the violence to help us communicate with all parties in Syria and to provide insight into the situation on the ground". He added: "We now judge that the deterioration of the security situation in Damascus puts our embassy staff and premises at risk." Hague said that his decision "in no way reduces the UK's commitment to active diplomacy to maintain pressure on the Assad regime to end the violence". He went on to say that: "We will continue to work closely with other nations to co-ordinate diplomatic and economic pressure on the Syrian regime."<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/syria/9117522/William-Hague-orders-evacuation-of-all-British-diplomats-from-Syria.html |location=London |work=The Daily Telegraph |first=David |last=Blair |title=William Hague orders evacuation of all British diplomats from Syria |date=2 March 2012 |access-date=2 April 2018 |archive-date=19 October 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171019011833/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/syria/9117522/William-Hague-orders-evacuation-of-all-British-diplomats-from-Syria.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

[[File:Foreign Secretary William Hague with Sheikh Ahmad al-Assi al-Jarba, President, Syrian National Coalition of Opposition and Revolutionary Forces in London.jpg|thumb|Hague meeting [[Ahmad Jarba]], President of the [[National Coalition of Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces]], on 5 September 2013]]
On 1 April 2012, Hague met 74 other nations at a [[Friends of Syria Group]] conference in Istanbul, Turkey. Hague said the issue could return to the United Nations Security Council if current efforts to resolve the crisis fail. The government of President Assad has said it accepts a peace plan by the UN-Arab League envoy [[Kofi Annan]], but there has been little evidence that it is prepared to end its crackdown on the opposition. Hague accused Assad of "stalling for time" and warned that if the issue does return to the Security Council, he may no longer be able to rely on the backing of Russia and China, who blocked a previous resolution calling for him to stand down. "There isn't an unlimited period of time for this, for the Kofi Annan process to work before many of the nations here want us to go back to the UN Security Council—some of them will call for arming the opposition if there isn't progress made," Hague told the BBC. He added that "What is now being put to them is a plan from Kofi Annan supported by the whole United Nations Security Council, and this is an important point, it's supported by Russia and by China as well as by the more obvious countries—the United States, the United Kingdom, France, the Arab League and so on".<ref>[https://www.google.com/hostednews/ukpress/article/ALeqM5je0GXux6yEJNwOin-3xbUi_9E7iw?docId=N0050531333278291923A Hague warning for Syrian president] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120402210300/https://www.google.com/hostednews/ukpress/article/ALeqM5je0GXux6yEJNwOin-3xbUi_9E7iw?docId=N0050531333278291923A |date=2 April 2012 }}</ref>

On 20 November 2012, Hague recognised the National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces as the "sole legitimate representative" of the Syrian people, and a credible alternative to the current Syrian Government.<ref name=bbc-20121120>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-20406562 |title=Syria conflict: UK recognises opposition, says William Hague |publisher=BBC |date=20 November 2012 |access-date=1 January 2014 |archive-date=25 January 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140125152254/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-20406562 |url-status=live }}</ref>

On 29 August 2013, the [[British Parliament]] refused to ratify the [[British Government]]'s plan to participate in military strikes against the Syrian Government in the wake of a [[Ghouta chemical attack|chemical-weapons attack at Ghouta]].<ref name=telegraph-20130829>{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/syria/10275158/Syria-crisis-No-to-war-blow-to-Cameron.html |title=Syria crisis: No to war, blow to Cameron |author=Robert Winnett |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |date=29 August 2013 |access-date=1 January 2014 |archive-date=25 February 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140225134952/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/syria/10275158/Syria-crisis-No-to-war-blow-to-Cameron.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Hague denied suggestions that he had threatened to resign over Prime Minister David Cameron's decision to go straight to a parliamentary vote.<ref>{{Cite web|date=1 September 2013|title=William Hague denies he was set to quit over Syria vote|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/william-hague-denies-he-was-set-to-quit-over-syria-vote-8793661.html|access-date=31 October 2021|website=The Independent|language=en|archive-date=31 October 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211031160742/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/william-hague-denies-he-was-set-to-quit-over-syria-vote-8793661.html|url-status=live}}</ref> After the vote, Hague continued to urge other governments to take action against the Syrian Government, saying "If it is decided in the various parliaments of the world that no-one will stand up to the use of chemical weapons and take any action about that, that would be a very alarming moment in the affairs of the world".<ref name=telegraph-20130908>{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/syria/10294637/Syria-Hague-says-lack-of-military-action-would-be-alarming.html |title=Syria: Hague says lack of military action would be 'alarming' |author=David Blair |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |date=8 September 2013 |access-date=1 January 2014 |archive-date=25 February 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140225100235/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/syria/10294637/Syria-Hague-says-lack-of-military-action-would-be-alarming.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Ultimately a negotiated agreement was reached to [[Destruction of Syria's chemical weapons|eliminate Syria's chemical weapons]].