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Government response to Foreign Affairs Committee report on Commonwealth

The Government has published its response to the Foreign Affairs Committee’s report on the role and future of the Commonwealth.

This was published under the 2010 to 2015 Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government

Commenting on the Government response to the Foreign Affairs Committee’s report, Foreign Secretary William Hague said:

“The Government response welcomes the Committee’s support for our policy to strengthen engagement with the Commonwealth, helping it to realise its full potential, and to use its networks to achieve the UK’s priorities.

“We agree that the Commonwealth has a distinctive role and value in international affairs. We also agree that its future credibility is linked to its ability to protect the core democratic values which underpin the organisation.

“We are working hard to ensure that recently adopted reforms include a commitment to strengthen mechanisms which protect Commonwealth values. We recognise that the Commonwealth has, in recent years, been less focussed and less visible, and we are committed to helping the Commonwealth realise its full potential as a major player on the world stage. We welcome the Committee’s continuing interest.”

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Published 22 January 2013