HC Deb 08 November 2000 vol 356 cc278-9W
Mrs. Mahon

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when sanctions against Yugoslavia will be lifted. [136968]

Mr. Vaz

The EU oil embargo and flight ban have already been lifted with effect from 9 October. The remaining EU sanctions, with the exception of the arms embargo and the ban on the export of equipment which might be used for internal repression or terrorism, are being revised to ensure that only those measures aimed directly at Milosevic and those persons directly associated with him remain in place: this process should be complete by the end of November.

The UN arms embargo and ban on arming and training for terrorist activities there, imposed by UNSCR 1160 (1998), will remain in place.

Mrs. Mahon

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if it is his policy that all the EU's economic sanctions against Yugoslavia should be lifted. [136967]

Mr. Vaz

The EU oil embargo and flight ban against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia were lifted on 9 October following the election of Vojislav Kostunica as President of the FRY. The remaining EU sanctions, with the exceptions of the arms embargo and ban on equipment which might be used for internal repression or terrorism, are being revised to target only Milosevic and those individuals associated with him.

Mrs. Mahon

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will urge the European Union to provide finance to reconstruct the civilian infrastructure damaged by NATO's bombing of Yugoslavia. [136966]

Mr. Vaz

The European Union has already responded quickly to support the new government in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY) and repair the damage brought on by the Milosevic regime. At the Biarritz European Council on 13 October, the EU announced a 200 meuro emergency assistance package. This package will focus on support for the energy sector, food, health, education and heating. The EU has also allocated 22 meuro for the clearance of the Danube.