Serbia (Hansard, 12 October 2000)

§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Scotland of Asthal)
My Lords, the United Kingdom has spent over £2 million in Serbia in the past year in support of independent media, civil society groups, elections monitoring and other activities in support of democratic development. The UK will continue to respond positively to requests for help with democratic reform, including an expansion of the UK's assistance to democratic municipalities. The Department for International Development will consider implementing a programme of support for economic reform.
The Government firmly support the EU's decision of 9th October to support the new democratic authorities by lifting sanctions, including the FRY in EU Balkans initiatives, and examining urgently ways of working towards a close EU-FRY relationship.

§ Viscount Waverley
My Lords, the people of Serbia should be thanked for their relentless action. What could now delay early ambassadorial exchange? Is the importance of wholesale reform of key institutions in 503 Serbia as part of a pan-Balkan reconstruction programme fully recognised? Does sufficient evidence exist to extradite Milosevic to The Hague?

§ Baroness Scotland of Asthal
My Lords, perhaps I may take those questions in order. I can tell the House that Her Majesty's Government have, through the British interest section of the Embassy of Brazil, proposed to the FRY Ministry of Foreign Affairs that diplomatic relations be restored. We expect a positive reply from the ministry very soon. Ambassadors will then be exchanged as soon as practicable. I should like to express our immense gratitude to the Brazilian Ministry of Foreign Affairs for all its help as protecting power since March 1999.
I come to the noble Viscount's second point. The House will know that the EU stability pact for southeast Europe is already taking a regional approach in its work to promote economic and political reform. Inclusion of the FRY in the new CARDS EU aid programme is also part of the EU's pan-European approach. Every opportunity will be taken, both bilaterally and multilaterally, to build capacity within the institutions. The United Kingdom's Department for International Development is already in the process of implementing a successful programme of public sector reform in Montenegro.
On the noble Viscount's third point, it is a matter for the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia. The ICTY is satisfied that there is sufficient evidence for Milosevic to stand trial for crimes against humanity. The UK has complete confidence in the competence of the ICTY.

§ Baroness Williams of Crosby
My Lords, perhaps I may ask the Minister two questions on the democratic process. First, can she comment on the present decision by the Serbian Parliament to resist the acceptance of the legal status of the new president? Secondly, in view of the possibility of early elections for the federal parliament, can she say whether DfID and the other bodies can engage the Yugoslav Government in the discussion of the possibility of election monitors for what could be a quite difficult election in terms of its acceptability as a legitimate expression of the opinion of the Serbian and Yugoslav people?

§ Baroness Scotland of Asthal
My Lords, I know that a number of comments have been made in relation to the attitude taken by the president of the Serbian Parliament. It appears that there is acceptance of the election success of the new president, President Kostunica. We are grateful for that. But it is right to say, too, that at the moment there is active negotiation between the president and the president of the Serbian Parliament as to the ministries that will be utilised by them. It is early days. It is right that we are carrying out comprehensive needs assessment work in relation to Serbia. Obviously, the noble Baroness's comment in relation to monitors will be borne in mind.

§ Lord Howell of Guildford
My Lords, I agree with the noble Baroness that it is early days. Does she agree that Mr Kostunica is now getting into a very difficult position, with the Milosevic camp still in control of the secret police and air traffic control and with, as the noble Baroness, Lady Williams, has just reminded us, the government of Serbia still refusing to budge? What steps will Her Majesty's Government take to reinforce and strengthen Mr Kostunica's hand in the difficult days ahead? Are there new ways in which the message can be got to the general population of Serbia who want change that the new help and aid from outside will be conditional on getting rid of the Milosevic people and will not be just a general hand-out now that we feel that reform is under way?

§ Baroness Scotland of Asthal
My Lords, the House should be confident that the new regime is well aware of the challenges it faces and of the need for reform both in financial institutions and in the way in which the country is managed. That is given. We know that those challenges are real and large. President Kostunica is looking clearly at how to manage those matters. Negotiations are going on between the president of the Serbian Parliament and the president of the republic. It really is too early to say much more than that.

§ Lord Hylton
My Lords, will the Government ask NATO to consider creating a voluntary fund for the rebuilding of individual homes damaged by bombing, both in Serbia and in Kosovo? Would not that defuse a great deal of bitterness?

§ Baroness Scotland of Asthal
My Lords, as the House may know, a tremendous amount of rebuilding is already going on. The programmes that are in place will very much strengthen the institutions and the provision of such aid. Those assessments are being made and I am sure that every effort will be made by the international community, working together with the new government of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, to address the needs of its people.

§ Lord Phillips of Sudbury
My Lords, does the Minister think that it would be appropriate to congratulate a large proportion of the Serbian population on the vigour and courage of their democratic instincts in recent days; and might we not do with a little more of it here?

§ Baroness Scotland of Asthal
My Lords, we have congratulated the Serbian people. Noble Lords who were present in the House on Tuesday when I made a Statement will know that we expressed our joy that the peoples of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia had taken an enormous step towards democracy. I can assure the House that Her Majesty's Government are taking every opportunity to encourage them to go even further.