§ 1. Siobhain McDonagh (Mitcham and Morden)What recent discussions he has had with his European and NATO counterparts on Bosnia and Kosovo. [138571]
§ The Minister for the Armed Forces (Mr. John Spellar)I and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence take every opportunity to discuss issues relating to the Balkans, including Bosnia and Kosovo, with our European and NATO counterparts. The informal NATO Defence Ministers' meeting held in Birmingham in October this year covered these issues, as will the NATO Defence Ministers' meeting in Brussels next week. In addition, my right hon. Friend has recently met his French and German counterparts, and the Balkans region was discussed.
§ Siobhain McDonaghDoes my hon. Friend agree that, with the onset of winter, it is particularly important to ensure that our forces in Bosnia and Kosovo are adequately housed? If so, will he inform me of what the Government are doing about this matter?
§ Mr. SpellarIt is a question not just of what we are doing, but of what we have done. Although the temporary improved tented accommodation was by no means as bad as it was depicted, we certainly needed to make improvements. The new field accommodation is excellent, it is bedding in well and it has been well received. Arguably, it is among the best in the region.
§ Mr. Paul Keetch (Hereford)Can the Minister confirm that, in his discussions with NATO and European Union allies, he has continued to receive advice at the highest level on Kosovo and Bosnia from Sir Charles Guthrie, the Chief of the Defence Staff? Has not Sir Charles always offered high level, independent advice to successive Governments, not just as Chief of the Defence Staff, but when he was leader of the SAS? Are not the recent attacks on him by the Conservative press a thinly veiled political attack?
§ Mr. SpellarI can only find myself in agreement with the hon. Gentleman. [Interruption.] I notice that the 616 hon. Member for Reigate (Mr. Blunt) is laughing, but he was in the forefront of previous attacks on the Chief of Defence Staff during the Kosovo crisis. The politicisation of attacks on senior members of the military is disgraceful, but I firmly believe that they relate to the underlying problem that the "born to rule" lot on the Opposition Benches cannot accept a different Government. They will attack any public servant who does his job properly by working for the democratically elected Government.
§ Mr. Fabian Hamilton (Leeds, North-East)Can my hon. Friend assure the House that KFOR will do all that it can to protect the interests of minority ethnic groups in Kosovo? That is the key to achieving a long-term settlement.
§ Mr. SpellarNot only can I assure my hon. Friend of that, but I have seen it in action when I have been to Pristina. It is enormously important to maintain the peace, and that is why urgent talks are taking place on the situation in the Presovo valley.
§ Mr. Iain Duncan Smith (Chingford and Woodford Green)Can the Minister explain, for the benefit of the whole House, Her Majesty's Government attitude to the latest developments in the Presovo valley, particularly in light of Belgrade's demands that the Komanovo agreement be renegotiated? Over the weekend, three Serb policemen were murdered and President Kostunica has sent armoured troops into the area nearby. He wants the villages taken by the Albanians to be returned and he has made two demands, not least that armed Serb police be moved into the buffer zone.
Will the Minister say for the benefit of the whole House and the nation whether, if President Kostunica gets his way, the Government fear that British troops will be put at risk by Albanians who are disgruntled that NATO is perhaps siding with the Serbs? Alternatively, if President Kostunica does not get his way, does the Minister think that that might result in his position in Serbia proper being destabilised?
§ Mr. SpellarI thank the hon. Gentleman for his balanced question. It is a difficult issue and we went in to maintain a multi-ethnic Kosovo. We and the other nations involved in KFOR are concerned by any moves that could be destabilising. That is precisely why discussions have taken place between KFOR and the representatives of the Yugoslav Government, and I understand that a leading representative will go to Belgrade for further talks. I can also report to the House that arrangements are being made for the handover of the bodies of the three Serb policemen who were killed in the recent engagement, so there have also obviously been discussions with representatives of the Albanian side to try to stabilise the position.
That is all that I can say today about an uncertain situation. I would argue that it is returning to normality, but that does not mean, by any means, that we are through the problems yet. Further talks are required, but I pay tribute to the leadership of KFOR, which is handling the matter extremely well on behalf of both communities in the area.
§ Mr. Mike Gapes (Ilford, South)My hon. Friend referred to the importance of stability in Kosovo. 617 Does he agree that any move by the new United States Administration to take precipitate action to withdraw their forces from Kosovo and Bosnia could only be destabilising, and could lead to an upsurge of violence and renewed conflict throughout the region?
§ Mr. SpellarWe have had no indication from either representative who could form the new Administration that he is proposing precipitate action in Kosovo or the Balkans more widely.