HL Deb 25 February 2004 vol 658 cc235-7

3.9 p.m.

Lord Russell-Johnston asked Her Majesty's Government:

What action they have taken following the statement by the Chief Prosecutor at the Hague that she has evidence that the indicted war criminals Ratko Mladic and Radovan Karadzic have found sanctuary in Belgrade.

Baroness Crawley

My Lords, we cannot confirm that Karadzic or Mladic are in Belgrade. We believe it is essential that all countries in the region co-operate with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia and that Serbia and Montenegro need to do more to bring indictees to justice.

The UK, with the international community, continues to exert pressure on Serbia and Montenegro and Bosnia Herzegovina to hand Karadzic and Mladic to the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia.

Lord Russell-Johnston

My Lords, I thank the noble Baroness for her reply, although I am beginning to think that if Karadzic and Mladic had been bank robbers, they would have been caught years ago. Did the Minister read the article in the International Herald Tribune, in which Misha Glenny, the well known Balkan commentator, alleged that Britain was highly critical in private of the public pursuit of those people by Carla Del Ponte? Will she please tell me that that is not true? Secondly, to make it absolutely clear, will she take the opportunity offered by this Question to pay tribute to the work of that honest and resolute lady?

Baroness Crawley

My Lords, I say immediately to the noble Lord, Lord Russell-Johnston, who has taken a great interest in that area of the world, that we are very supportive of the chief prosecutor and the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia. Let that be absolutely clear. We have great commitment to and energy in pursuing the indictees who are still at large. From his interest in the matter, the noble Lord will know that 94 indictees have appeared before the ICTY and that 20 now remain at large. Having myself been in Bosnia during the Bosnian war, I do not need convincing of the importance of apprehending those two people and the other indictees at large. I hope that I can give the noble Lord some reassurance in that SFOR has increased the intensity and frequency of its operations to break Karadzic's network in Bosnia-Herzegovnia.

Lord Howell of Guildford

My Lords, the chief prosecutor is clearly a resolute lady and her work should be fully supported, as the noble Lord, Lord Russell-Johnston, said. However, might there not be a case for someone passing to her a quiet and respectful hint that it might be wiser first to secure the apprehension and bringing to justice of those unsavoury individuals before making too many statements about their possible whereabouts? That seems unhelpful in tracking them down.

Baroness Crawley

My Lords, we indeed continue to support all the efforts being made. The result of the energy invested by the chief prosecutor in apprehending those indictees is that, as I said to the noble Lord, Lord Russell-Johnston, SFOR has increased the frequency and intensity of its operations—both the operations that it pursues under intelligence received and its day-to-day operations. We have shown our support for the tribunal by ensuring that the EU-wide visa ban includes nine further individuals this February. All in all, we are working at top whack with our international partners to ensure that those indictees are brought to book.

Earl Ferrers

My Lords, can the noble Baroness find a better, more suitable word to use than "indictee", or is that Civil Service jargon?

Baroness Crawley

My Lords, that is legal, as opposed to Civil Service, jargon. We know who we are talking about: those who have been charged with war crimes and, in the cases of the two individuals referred to in the original Question, two men who have both been charged with two counts of genocide.

Lord Richard

My Lords, now that Mr Justice May has had to withdraw from the trial of Mr Milosevic, what is the Government's view about what should happen?

Baroness Crawley

My Lords, I thank my noble friend for that question—sincerely. I am aware from the press statement by the ICTY president that Judge May is to resign on health grounds. That should not unduly disrupt the trial. I use this opportunity to pay tribute to Judge May's outstanding performance, as widely acknowledged by the international judicial community.