Bosnia (Hansard, 16 June 1993)

§ 24. Mr. Mike O'Brien
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on his proposals to secure an end to the conflict in Bosnia.

§ Mr. Douglas Hogg
The Washington agreement of 22 May set out the immediate steps to be taken by the international community to effectively tackle the conflict in Bosnia. It is intended to help establish conditions for a lasting and equitable settlement, in accordance with the principles of the Vance-Owen peace plan, to the appalling conflict in Bosnia. Some of these steps have already been achieved, for example the adoption of United Nations Security Council resolutions on safe areas in Bosnia and the creation of a war crimes tribunal. Action continues within the United Nations and NATO to follow up other elements of the Washington agreement. Lord Owen and Mr. Stoltenberg are continuing their negotiations with great determination.

§ 32. Mr. Raynsford
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is proposing to take to restore the territorial integrity of Bosnia.

§ Mr. Douglas Hogg
United Nations Security Council resolution No. 836 reaffirms the sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the responsibility of the Security Council in this regard. The principles of the Vance-Owen peace plan for Bosnia provide the framework for securing this.

§ Mr. Watson
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs by what means, following the Washington agreement, he envisages the implementation of the Vance-Owen plan for Bosnia.

§ Mr. Douglas Hogg
The principles contained within the Vance-Owen peace plan provide the framework for securing a political settlement to the conflict in Bosnia. The Washington agreement of 22 May established a series of immediate steps to alleviate the suffering on the ground while work continues to find a lasting and fair political settlement.

§ Mr. Wareing
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to President Izetbegovic in respect of Bosnian Muslim breaches in the ceasefires and the destruction of Croat villages by his forces in Bosnia-Herzegovina.

§ Mr. Goodlad
[holding answer 14 June 1993]: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs met Bosnian President Izetbegovic on 14 June. One of the issues that they discussed was the recent Bosnian-Muslim offensive in central Bosnia, particularly around Travnik. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State underlined our concern at reports of Muslim brutality and ethnic cleansing of Bosnian Croats, 639W and urged President Izetbegovic to order an end to this offensive and begin implementation of the Vance-Owen peace plan.