HC Deb 04 November 1993 vol 231 cc301-3W
Mr. Don Foster

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the level of fighting in and around Sarajevo during the past month; how many breaches of the ceasefire there have been during that period; and if he will list the identities of parties who initiated the breach of ceasefire on each occasion where such information is available.

Mr. Douglas Hogg

The level of fighting in Sarajevo continues to fluctuate. Both the Bosnian Government forces and the Bosnian Serbs have initiated attacks. There are no precise details on the numbers of ceasefire breaches and which party was responsible for them.

Mr. Don Foster

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what attempts have been made by the United Nations to maintain or repair the electricity supply installations around Sarajevo during the past fortnight; what was the result; what representations have been made about hindrance to the work; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Douglas Hogg

The United Nations protection force and the parties to the conflict are in constant touch about repairing utilities in Sarajevo. UNPROFOR engineers work hard to repair and maintain utilities, including electricity, when local conditions permit and the warring parties allow safe access.

Mr. Don Foster

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment is made on a daily or weekly basis of the level of fighting throughout Bosnia-Herzegovina; which areas are currently under the most intense conflict; which areas have been under the most intense conflict during the past month; which of the ethnic communities are principally involved in military clashes; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Douglas Hogg

We receive regular reports of the situation on the ground in Bosnia from a number of sources, including the United Nations, British UNPROFOR troops and the European Community monitor mission. The conflict remains widespread in many areas in Bosnia. The most intense fighting in recent months has taken place in central Bosnia between Bosnian Government forces and the Bosnian Croats. We also remain particularly concerned about continued fighting between the Bosnian Government and the Bosnian Serbs around Sarajevo and the Muslim enclaves in eastern Bosnia.

Mr. Don Foster

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what actions are required from(a) the Belgrade Government to ensure removal, or part removal, of United Nations and European Community sanctions and (b) the Croatian Government to avoid the implementation of either United Nations or European Community sanctions; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Douglas Hogg

United Nations Security Council resolution 820 envisages a review of sanctions after the Bosnian parties have reached a peace settlement and the Bosnian Serbs are judged to be co-operating in good faith with its implementation. EC Foreign Ministers also declared on 5 April that there could be gradual lifting of sanctions if the Bosnian Serbs met these conditions. Croatia remains on notice that it faces the threat of withdrawal of preferential EC trading benefits unless it co-operates with international efforts to resolve the conflicts in Bosnia and Croatia and uses its influence with the Bosnian Croats to ensure that they also co-operate.

Mr. Don Foster

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans have been made for a new round of peace talks in London concerning the current conflict in the fomer Yugoslavia; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Douglas Hogg

My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary discussed the possibility of another international conference in separate meetings with Dr. Boutros Ghali and Mr. Stoltenberg on 25 October. There was agreement that a conference, probably in Geneva, may be useful in guiding the parties towards a settlement once significant further progress has been made, but that it would be premature to hold such a conference now.

Mr. Don Foster

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what were the circumstances surrounding the attack on United Nations aid personnel near Novi Travnik on 25 October; what were the circumstances of the attack; and what casualties were sustained.

Mr. Douglas Hogg

Three convoys, two carrying United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees aid and one resupplying UNPROFOR, came under fire south of Novi Travnik while negotiating passage through an HVO checkpoint. One Danish UNHCR employee was killed and eight United Nations aid personnel were wounded. The United Nations is investigating the circumstances and its report will be available soon. In the meantime, the UNHCR has suspended convoys in central Bosnia.

Mr. Don Foster

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions of the situation in the former Yugoslavia he had with the Secretary-General of the United Nations during their recent meeting; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Douglas Hogg

My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary and the Secretary- General of the United Nations, Dr. Boutros Ghali, discussed a wide range of issues covering the peace prospects in Bosnia, plans to hold a further international conference, sanctions on Serbia and Montenegro and the humanitarian situation in former Yugoslavia.

Mr. Fisher

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish the guidelines issued to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees airlift operations cell Geneva to cover the humanitarian airlift to Sarajevo.

Mr. Douglas Hogg

The policy guidelines for movement into and out of Sarajevo by air are issued by UNHCR headquarters in Geneva. I have arranged for the hon. Member to receive a copy of the latest guidelines issued by UNHCR on 12 September.

Mr. Fisher

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what consultations he had with the authorities in Sarajevo before formulating the guidelines issued to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees airlift operations cell Geneva to cover the humanitarian airlift to Sarajevo.

Mr. Douglas Hogg

The guidelines are formulated by UNHCR (Air Operations Cell) in consultation with UNPROFOR.