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| Foreign policy 'undermining UK' | Foreign policy 'undermining UK' |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Britain's ability to be an international force for good has been undermined by foreign policy errors, a new report from Oxfam suggests. | Britain's ability to be an international force for good has been undermined by foreign policy errors, a new report from Oxfam suggests. |
| But it also warns against the UK drawing back from a policy of trying to solve the world's worst crises. | But it also warns against the UK drawing back from a policy of trying to solve the world's worst crises. |
| It would be disastrous if the "misadventure in Iraq" led to the next prime minister not attempting to resolve other conflicts, Oxfam says. | It would be disastrous if the "misadventure in Iraq" led to the next prime minister not attempting to resolve other conflicts, Oxfam says. |
| The government said the past decade of foreign policy had been "effective". | The government said the past decade of foreign policy had been "effective". |
| Damaged relations | Damaged relations |
| The Oxfam report, A Fair Foreign Policy, argues that the positive effect of interventions in Sierra Leone and Kosovo should not be forgotten. | The Oxfam report, A Fair Foreign Policy, argues that the positive effect of interventions in Sierra Leone and Kosovo should not be forgotten. |
| The report also claims that wider policy towards the Middle East - and not just Iraq - has soured relations between many developing countries and the UK, based partly on a perception of double standards. | The report also claims that wider policy towards the Middle East - and not just Iraq - has soured relations between many developing countries and the UK, based partly on a perception of double standards. |
| It calls for refocusing foreign policy towards protecting civilians as well as challenging human rights abuses by friends as well as enemies. | It calls for refocusing foreign policy towards protecting civilians as well as challenging human rights abuses by friends as well as enemies. |
| An online survey of 2,374 adults conducted for Oxfam showed that 67% of people would support Britain sending troops as a last resort to stop genocide and other atrocities in the future. | An online survey of 2,374 adults conducted for Oxfam showed that 67% of people would support Britain sending troops as a last resort to stop genocide and other atrocities in the future. |
| A Foreign Office spokesman said: "We have rightly focused on 'hard' security issues such as Iraq, Afghanistan, Bosnia, Kosovo and Sierra Leone as well as 'softer' issues such as climate change and poverty eradication. | |
| "We disagree that the UK now exercises less influence because of Iraq. | "We disagree that the UK now exercises less influence because of Iraq. |
| "On the contrary the UK remains at the heart of every major international debate and our influence as consensus builders is recognised worldwide." | "On the contrary the UK remains at the heart of every major international debate and our influence as consensus builders is recognised worldwide." |
| Meanwhile, the Oxford Research Group has warned that British and US policy towards Iraq has "spawned new terror in the region". | Meanwhile, the Oxford Research Group has warned that British and US policy towards Iraq has "spawned new terror in the region". |
| It said the continuing military action had increased the likelihood of terrorist attacks on the scale of 9/11. | It said the continuing military action had increased the likelihood of terrorist attacks on the scale of 9/11. |