April 9 (Reuters) - British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper will say on Thursday that shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, which carries around a fifth of the world's oil and gas, must be toll-free,
UK Urges Toll-Free Strait of Hormuz Shipping, Pushes Lebanon Ceasefire Inclusion
British Foreign Secretary's Stance on Strait of Hormuz and Middle East Ceasefire
UK's Position on Strait of Hormuz Shipping Fees
April 9 (Reuters) - British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper will say on Thursday that shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, which carries around a fifth of the world's oil and gas, must be toll-free, countering a push by Iran to control the vital waterway.
Iran's Proposal for Shipping Tolls
Iran has said it wants to charge fees for ships to pass through the Strait of Hormuz. Before the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran, the strait was formally treated as an international waterway.
Cooper's Statement on Freedom of Navigation
"The fundamental freedoms of the seas must not be unilaterally withdrawn or sold off to individual bidders. Nor can there be any place for tolls on an international waterway. Freedom of navigation means navigation must be free," Cooper will say in an annual foreign policy speech at Mansion House in London, according to advance extracts.
Calls for Lebanon Ceasefire Inclusion
Cooper will also repeat calls by world leaders for Lebanon to be included in a two-week ceasefire agreed between Iran and the U.S. on Tuesday. Israel on Wednesday launched its biggest attacks yet on Lebanon, targeting the Iran-backed Hezbollah militia.
Recent Developments in Lebanon
(Reporting by Gursimran Kaur in Bengaluru; Editing by Sonali Paul)
