HC Deb 14 April 1993 vol 222 cc577-9W
Dr. Godman

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last met his ministerial colleagues from other member states of the Security Council of the United Nations to discuss the enforcement of UN resolutions 713, 757 and 787 relating to trade and arms embargoes against the former Yugoslavia; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Douglas Hogg

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs last discussed these issues with the US Secretary of State on 25 March. We are in regular contact with other member states represented at the Security Council.

Mr. Elletson

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if Her Majesty's ambassador to the United Nations will propose enforcement. of the no-fly zone over Bosnia-Herzegovina; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Garel-Jones

The United Kingdom co-sponsored UN Security Council resolution 816, which authorises enforcement of the no-fly zone established by Security Council resolutions 781 of 9 October 1992 and 786 of 11 November 1992.

Sir Russell Johnston

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer to the hon. and learned Member for Fife, North-East (Mr. Campbell) of 25 March, Official Report, column 653, if he has received a copy of the UNPROFOR report on the recent breach of the no-fly zone over Bosnia-Herzegovina; what was the origin, destination and type of the aircraft concerned; and on what basis it was identified as a Bosnian-Serb aircraft.

Mr. Garel-Jones

We have received a copy of Note Verbale S/24900/Add.27 of 16 March from the United Nations Secretary-General to the President of the Security Council, which gives details of the three aircraft observed bombing the village of Gladovici.

The report does not specify the origin of the aircraft. One aircraft was a single-engined propellor-driven biplane, the other two being single-engined propellor-driven monoplanes. It was not possible to determine the precise type of destination of the aircraft, but all three withdrew towards the Bosnian/Serbian border. The circumstantial evidence therefore suggests that the aircraft were operated by the Bosnian Serbs.

Sir Russell Johnston

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the United Nations monitors are in place at each Bosnian-Serb airfield in the republic of Bosnia-Herzegovina and each airfield in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia; and how many combat missions have departed from any of these airfields since their installation.

Mr. Garel-Jones

UNPROFOR airfield monitors are stationed in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia at Batajnica/Surcin, Ponikve, Kraljevo, Berane, Podgorica, Pristina and Nis and in Bosnia at Mahorljani, Zaluzahi, Cazin and Tuzla.

No sorties positively identified as for combat purposes have been recorded departing from any of the airfields at which UNPROFOR monitors are stationed.

Sir Russell Johnston

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement concerning the enforcement of the no-fly zone over Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Mr. Garel-Jones

I refer the hon. Gentleman to the oral answer given by my hon. Friend the Minister of State for Defence Procurement on 1 April 1993 to the hon. Member for South Shields (Dr. Clark), c. 499.

Sir Russell Johnston

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when was the last occasion on which fixed wing or propeller aircraft from the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia crossed into Bosnia-Herzegovina; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Garel-Jones

The last occasions on which aircraft unauthorised by UNPROFOR were observed crossing from Serbian airspace into Bosnia-Herzegovina were on 14 March, when violations by three separate aircraft—one helicopter, one biplane and one monoplane—were reported.

Sir Russell Johnston

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the total number of violations of the no-fly zone over Bosnia-Herzegovina by(a) Bosnian-Serb fixed wing aircraft, (b) Bosnian-Serb helicopters, (c) Bosnian-Muslim fixed wing aircraft, (d) Bosnian-Muslim helicopters, (e) Croatian fixed wing aircraft and (f) Croatian helicopters since its introduction.

Mr. Garel-Jones

UNPROFOR reports of violations of the no-fly zone do not normally attribute individual violations to parties. Nor is it in many cases possible to determine whether the violating aircraft is fixed or rotary wing.

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