Conservative Manifesto 2010 Promote Our National Interest A Liberal Conservative Foreign Policy

Conservative Manifesto 2010 Promote Our National Interest A Liberal Conservative Foreign Policy

We have great national assets and advantages to help us make the most of the opportunities we face and to deal with challenges. We will engage positively with the world to deepen alliances and build new partnerships. We will help reform international institutions, help those in need, and play our part in tackling climate change and the proliferation of military nuclear technology.

a Conservative government’s approach to foreign affairs will be based on liberal Conservative principles. Liberal, because britain must be open and engaged with the world, supporting human rights and championing the cause of democracy and the rule of law at every opportunity. but Conservative, because our policy must be hard-headed and practical, dealing with the world as it is and not as we wish it were.

our approach to foreign affairs is based on a belief in freedom, human rights and democracy. We are sceptical about grand utopian schemes to remake the world. We will work patiently with the grain of other societies, but we will always support liberal values because they provide the foundations for stability and prosperity.

Protecting britain’s enlightened national interest requires global engagement. We will be safer if our values are strongly upheld and widely respected in the world. our national identity is bound up in our historic global role as an outward-looking nation, giving generously to developing countries, and providing a safe haven to genuine refugees.

it is not in our character to have a foreign policy without a conscience or to turn our back on the millions who live in poverty and conflict.

Promote our enlightened national interest a Conservative government will champion a distinctive british foreign policy. We will renew and reinforce our engagement with the rest of the world and build up British influence by deepening our alliances beyond europe and the United States, not only diplomatically but in culture, education, commerce and security.

a Conservative government will always speak up for freedom and human rights. torture is unacceptable and abhorrent, and we will never condone it.

We will support humanitarian intervention when it is practical and necessary, while working with other countries to prevent conflict arising.

Promoting britain’s interests and values means developing and strengthening our alliances and reforming international institutions. to achieve these goals, we will:

• work to establish a new special relationship with india, the world’s largest democracy;

• seek closer engagement with China while standing firm on human rights;

• elevate our relationships with many friendly nations, including in the middle east, as well as north africa, South asia and Latin america;

• press to keep the eU’s doors open to those countries, including turkey, that wish to join, conditional on the rigorous application of the accession criteria;

• support permanent seats on the United nations Security Council for japan, india, germany, brazil and african representation; and,

• strengthen the Commonwealth as a focus for promoting democratic values and development. We will work with our allies across the world to prevent conflict and secure peace. We will maintain a strong, close and frank relationship with the United States. We will work closely with other european countries to establish a common approach to common problems, such as climate change. We will be committed to nato as the ultimate guarantor of europe’s security. to ensure our global security further, we will:

• work towards greater stability in afghanistan and Pakistan;

• support concerted international efforts to prevent iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon;

• support a two-state solution to the middle east Peace Process;

• promote stability in the Western balkans;

• always be ready to assist Cypriots in their efforts to agree a just, balanced and lasting settlement to reunite their island; and,

• play our part in efforts to make the world safer from the dangers of nuclear weapons and nuclear proliferation.