§ Mr. WinnickTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many civilian Serbs in Kosovo have been unlawfully killed since NATO troops entered. [89602]
§ Mr. Tony Lloyd[holding answer 2 July 1999]: KFOR are aware of a number of incidents where Serb civilians have been killed by Kosovo Albanians and are taking measures to ensure the security of all citizens. At present, no verifiable figures are available.
As the answer I gave to my hon. Friend on 2 July 1999, Official Report, column 314 made clear, steps are being taken to reassure Serb civilians in Kosovo.
§ Mr. WinnickTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps are being taken to establish an armed international police force in Kosovo. [89603]
§ Mr. Tony Lloyd[holding answer 2 July 1999]: UN Security Council Resolution 1244 authorised the UN Secretary General to establish an international civil presence in Kosovo, with responsibility inter alia for maintaining civil law and order, including through the establishment of local forces and meanwhile through the deployment of international police personnel. It was agreed at the Friends of Kosovo meeting in New York on 30 June that the United Nations Mission in Kosovo should acquire the capacity to take over responsibility for public security from KFOR as soon as possible.
The UN Secretariat has recommended that UN police officers serving in Kosovo should be armed for self-defence purposes, but has left the final decision to UN members. The Foreign Secretary has already announced that the UK is willing to provide 60 police officers to recruit, to train and to monitor a civil police force in Kosovo.