HL Deb 14 April 1999 vol 599 cc122-3WA
Lord Kennet

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What peace terms resulting from the Rambouillet discussions were offered (a) by Mrs. Albright to the Kosovo Liberation Army and (b) by Mr. Holbrook to the Serbian Government; whether the Government or other members of the Contact Group were fully consulted by the United States Administration about these terms; and whether there is any limit to the military action being taken against Serbia for refusing the terms offered by Mr. Holbrook. [HL1910]

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean

The Rambouillet Accords were presented to both sides during the conference in February. They were not US proposals: they had been drafted in full consultation with all members of the Contact Group.

During the reconvened talks at the Kleber Centre in Paris, the Kosovo Albanian delegation, having completed the consultations to which it had committed itself at Rambouillet, signed the accords in their entirety. The FRY/Serbian delegation showed no such readiness.

NATO has clearly set out its conditions for a cessation of military action. Milosevic has to cease repression, withdraw army, police and paramilitary forces and agree to an international security force in Kosovo to give the refugees the confidence to return. NATO will suspend its action when Milosevic meets these conditions.

Lord Kennet

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they now endorse (a) the bona fides of the Kosovo Liberation Army and (b) the training and other assistance it is now to receive from the United States; and whether they are content with the origin of the resources on which it has been hitherto dependent. [HL1912]

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean

We have been trying to keep in contact with all of the Kosovo Albanian delegation at Rambouillet and the Foreign Secretary has spoken to Hashim Thaqi of the Kosovo Liberation Army (UCK) to urge restraint.

Under UN Security Council Resolution 1160 all states are obliged to prevent the sale or supply to the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, including Kosovo, of arms and related material, and arming or training for terrorist activities there. The Rambouillet Accords included provisions for the disarming of the UCK. The Contact Group has no firm evidence concerning the UCK's sources of weapons and training.