HL Deb 25 January 1994 vol 551 cc883-4

3.2 p.m.

Baroness Williams of Crosby asked Her Majesty's Government:

In view of the continuing shelling of Sarajevo and the intervention with civilian aid convoys, what steps are being taken to act on the decisions of the NATO summit announced on 11th January 1994.

Baroness Chalker of Wallasey

My Lords, the NATO summit reaffirmed the alliance's decision taken last August on airstrikes. The summit sent a clear signal to the Serbs, which reinforced the warning that the UK and US had already given Milosevic. Shelling fell last week to the lowest level for many weeks. But all sides are responsible for horrific actions. We unreservedly condemn the shelling which killed young children in Sarajevo and Mostar this weekend.

Baroness Williams of Crosby

My Lords, I thank the. Minister for that Answer. I should like to express our congratulations to the Foreign Secretary on his courage in personally visiting central Bosnia to see what has been happening. In view of the Minister's Answer and the fact that only two weeks ago Mr. Koljevic, the vice-president of the Bosnian Serbs' so-called state which has no official standing at all, objected to the reopening of Tuzla Airport; in view of the fact that civilian aid convoys are still being regularly interrupted and that civilians, including innocent children, are still being shelled, I should like to ask the Minister whether the decision that was made at the NATO summit can now be activated with real action and real efforts to try to make the work of UNPROFOR effective?

Baroness Chalker of Wallasey

My Lords, the visit of the Foreign Secretary was indeed important. The UN has been asked, and is currently drawing up plans, for both Srebrenica and Tuzla under the new UN Secretary-General's Special Representative Mr. Akashi. The UN's plans will be put to us as soon as they are available. I very much agree with the noble Baroness about the reopening of Tuzla Airport. She may remember that it is now more than 15 months since I advocated that. Unfortunately, it is only recently that we have had the full support of our allies in wanting to go ahead with that. I can assure your Lordships that we shall leave no stone unturned to get aid to that area. The results of the aid that has been delivered are very creditable.

Lord Renfrew of Kaimsthorn

My Lords, does my noble friend share the sense not only of disquiet, but perhaps of shame, that many of us feel that, after so many United Nations resolutions and so many NATO and European Community statements, no effective action has been taken to deter the continuing Serbian aggression? Does she not feel that perhaps we are getting close to the time when some such action may be necessary?

Baroness Chalker of Wallasey

My Lords, one must realise that it is not only the Serbs who are committing those horrors. They are being committed by Moslems and Croats as well. Whatever action we take—and UNPROFOR, particularly BRITFOR arid our own ODA personnel, are carrying out extraordinarily good work in getting the aid through—it is important to remember that if we should have to take military action, almost inevitably those aid deliveries will cease. Having seen for myself the situation on the ground, I have to say that. I hope that we shall never have to take that action, but if we should have to, we shall.

Lord Molloy

My Lords, bearing in mind that the British Foreign Secretary is now probably one of the best informed statesmen in the world, cannot the Government make it clear to the United Nations that we are not prepared to sacrifice. our soldiers or those of any other country? There must, however, be massive action by the United Nations because if the UN fails it will mean total victory for the anti-democratic and fascist regimes.

Baroness Chalker of Wallasey

My Lords, I thank the noble Lord for what he said about my right honourable friend the Foreign Secretary. The only way in which the conflict can be ended is through political efforts. I find the efforts that are being made by the UN Secretary-General's Special Representative, Mr. Akashi, very creditable in these early days of his work in Bosnia. We shall give him all support. Of course, we shall play our role, but with others, in the political process and not only in the giving of aid or, should it come to it, in the bombing of those positions which are preventing the aid being delivered.

Baroness Blackstone

My Lords, is the Minister aware that the Government's recent vacillation over our commitment to the UN forces in Bosnia will encourage further aggression by all parties in that country? Does she accept that the withdrawal of French and British troops could precipitate a bloodbath far worse than the terrible loss of life that we have already seen in Bosnia?

Baroness Chalker of Wallasey

My Lords, I can assure your Lordships that there has been no vacillation by Her Majesty's Government, but the troops cannot continue indefinitely without political progress and co-operation with the aid effort from parties on the ground. The decision that we took on 18th August 1992 to put troops into Bosnia was to help the aid to be delivered. It was not for other reasons. The security of UK troops and of our aid workers must remain a key concern. As I said in answer to the noble Lord, Lord Molloy, the conflict will end only through the political process, and we must work at that as well.