Yugoslavia (Hansard, 20 February 1992)

§ Mr. Wareing
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 17 February, if he has raised the reports of breaches of the arms embargo in(a) Serbia and (b) Croatia with his European Community partners; and what action he is taking to ensure such breaches do not take place.

§ Mr. Lennox-Boyd
Reports of violations of the arms embargo are discussed in the United Nations. When possible, we have also raised the most disquieting reports bilaterally with the authorities of the country in which they are alleged to have occurred.

§ Mr. Wareing
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, upon what principles he will base his policy towards Bosnia-Herzegovina after its proposed referendum on 28 February.

§ Mr. Lennox-Boyd
The policy will be based on the guidelines adopted by EC Ministers on 16 December 1991 and the circumstances prevailing after the referendum. The guidelines require that the state to be recognised should respect the United Nations charter; guarantee the rights of minorities; respect the inviolability of frontiers except by peaceful agreement; accept commitments on disarmament, non-proliferation, security and regional stability; and promise to settle by agreement questions of state succession and regional disputes.

§ Mr. Wareing
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with his European Community partners about the implications for peace in Yugoslavia and in Europe generally of the decision to hold a referendum on independence by Bosnia-Herzegovina and on how this might affect the deployment of British personnel within a United Nations peace-keeping force.

§ Mr. Lennox-Boyd
We and our European partners are in regular contact about all aspects of Yugoslavia. These issues including the question of the referendum in Bosnia-Herzegovina were discussed most recently at a meeting of European Community Foreign Ministers on 17 February.

§ Mr. Wareing
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 17 February, who is currently responsible for the protection of Slovenian and Croatian citizens visiting or residing in the United Kingdom.

§ Mr. Lennox-Boyd
In the absence of diplomatic or consular representation, neither the Slovenian nor the Croatian Government have appointed any third government to protect their interests in the United Kingdom.