CAIRO – Amid criticism of Britain’s foreign policy for giving ammunition to extremists, British ambassadors to Muslim countries are reaching out the Muslim minority to lure its support for the government foreign policies.
“Through a programme of outreach events, ambassadors and senior officials work with local partners in Muslim communities across the country to challenge those misconceptions,” a Foreign Office spokesman told The Times Sunday, November 22.
“These events are a chance for well-informed officials to explain our foreign policy and to get a better understanding of what people think about it.”
A number of British ambassadors to Muslim countries held meetings with Muslim leaders and residents in hot spots under a government strategy to fight extremism.
Last July, British ambassador Sir William Patey met twice with Muslim residents in Redbridge and Essex to explain the British foreign policy to them.
He also met with Muslim residents in Edinburgh in September for the same purpose.
British ambassador to Morocco also met last month with Muslim residents in northwest London.
Overall, 25 ambassador and senior diplomats in several Muslim countries, including Pakistan, Bangladesh, Iraq, Syria and Tunisia, met with British Muslims in several hot spots to draw their support for the British foreign policy.
Senior Muslims were also dispatched by the Foreign Policy to Muslim countries to refute reports about the maltreatment and abuses of British Muslims.
“Violent extremists use misconceptions about foreign policy as a way to radicalise vulnerable young people in the UK,” said the spokesman.
British Muslims, estimated at some 1.8 million or nearly three percent of the population, have been critical of Britain’s foreign policy for fueling extremism in the country.
A report commissioned by Muslim leaders following the London attacks said that the British policy on Iraq, Afghanistan and the Middle East were fanning the flames of extremism.
A recent report by the British parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee said that international conflicts, such as the situation in Iraq and the occupied Palestinian territories, were breeding feelings of injustice in the Muslim world which can boost support for terrorism.
Source: IslamOnline
“Through a programme of outreach events, ambassadors and senior officials work with local partners in Muslim communities across the country to challenge those misconceptions,” a Foreign Office spokesman told The Times Sunday, November 22.
“These events are a chance for well-informed officials to explain our foreign policy and to get a better understanding of what people think about it.”
A number of British ambassadors to Muslim countries held meetings with Muslim leaders and residents in hot spots under a government strategy to fight extremism.
Last July, British ambassador Sir William Patey met twice with Muslim residents in Redbridge and Essex to explain the British foreign policy to them.
He also met with Muslim residents in Edinburgh in September for the same purpose.
British ambassador to Morocco also met last month with Muslim residents in northwest London.
Overall, 25 ambassador and senior diplomats in several Muslim countries, including Pakistan, Bangladesh, Iraq, Syria and Tunisia, met with British Muslims in several hot spots to draw their support for the British foreign policy.
Senior Muslims were also dispatched by the Foreign Policy to Muslim countries to refute reports about the maltreatment and abuses of British Muslims.
“Violent extremists use misconceptions about foreign policy as a way to radicalise vulnerable young people in the UK,” said the spokesman.
British Muslims, estimated at some 1.8 million or nearly three percent of the population, have been critical of Britain’s foreign policy for fueling extremism in the country.
A report commissioned by Muslim leaders following the London attacks said that the British policy on Iraq, Afghanistan and the Middle East were fanning the flames of extremism.
A recent report by the British parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee said that international conflicts, such as the situation in Iraq and the occupied Palestinian territories, were breeding feelings of injustice in the Muslim world which can boost support for terrorism.
Source: IslamOnline
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