Yugoslavia (Hansard, 23 November 1993)

§ 7. Mr. Viggers
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many United Kingdom troops are currently engaged in support of United Nations operations in the former Yugoslavia.

§ Mr. Hanley
On 15 November, there were 2,267 British troops in Bosnia. In addition to those on the ground, Royal Navy ships and RAF squadrons are providing support to United Nations operations, including the humanitarian airlift into Sarajevo.

§ Mr. Viggers
Although the whole House admires the courage and skill that our troops bring to their role in Bosnia, does my hon. Friend agree that they are effectively tasked with mission impossible because they are spectators in a civil war? Has my hon. Friend noted the recent comments by Lord Owen that intervention can, in some circumstances, make the position worse? Will my hon. Friend undertake actively to keep open the option of withdrawal?

§ Mr. Hanley
One of the things about a mission impossible is that so often we look with admiration at those who are able to achieve what others might think is a mission impossible. Our forces have been achieving the impossible for the last few months. They have been delivering aid and keeping alive hundreds of thousands who would otherwise now be dead. I believe that what they are doing is not only in the highest order of humanitarian tasks but something of which we should be proud. They will continue to do that task until either they have an unacceptable risk put on them or there is peace. That will be a different situation.

§ Dr. David Clark
Does the Minister recall receiving a letter a couple of months ago from the Secretary-General of NATO asking how many troops Britain could contribute towards a United Nations peacekeeping operation in Bosnia following a permanent ceasefire signed by all three sides? Why has he not bothered to reply to that letter?

§ Mr. Hanley
We have not yet got a peace. I hope that soon there will be one. In the meantime, we are preparing what our reaction would be if there were peace. Therefore, the time will come when those figures will be announced.

§ Mr. Cormack
Does my hon. Friend accept that no one would not wish to pay tribute to the British troops for what they are doing? Will he remind the House that, while those troops have been there, more than 100,000 of the 200,000 killed have died in Bosnia? Will he further remind the House that the thrust of the blame should still be directed at Serbia? Will he do what he can to ensure that the mandate of our troops is increased so that they can help to make Sarajevo a truly safe city?

§ Mr. Hanley
I do not believe that it is desirable to try to apportion blame in an area where horrendous acts are carried out by all sides. It is a most distressing set of circumstances that has brought us to the present position. As part of the United Nations Protection Force, British troops are carrying out a role that is greatly desirable in the interests of those who cannot fight for themselves.
As to Sarajevo, we continue to work with the other nations which provide troops for UNPROFOR to try to ensure that humanitarian aid is distributed. If it is difficult to distribute that aid, it is merely because of those who try 316 to be unpleasant, not only to innocent people, but to the people who are trying to provide that humanitarian aid. We will use whatever force is necessary, but it must be kept to a minimum.