§ Mr. ElletsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what additional expense has been incurred by his Department as a result of the passing of UN Security Council resolution 816; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. HanleyThe additional annual costs are currently assessed at around £20,000,000.
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§ Mr. ElletsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the military consequences of the mobilisation of Bosnian-Croat citizens of fighting age in Bosnia-Herzegovina on 30 June and the imposition of curfew; if he will consider the withdrawal of British forces deployed near Vitez; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. HanleyThe mobilisation of Bosnian-Croat citizens to serve in the Croatian Defence Council, a militia type force based throughout Bosnia-Herzegovina and organised for the local defence of Bosnian Croat communities, was in response to the on-going fighting against Bosnian government, mainly Muslim, forces.
It is unlikely the mobilisation will have any implications for the British forces in Vitez. The safety of our troops is paramount, however, and we keep their deployment continually under review.
§ Mr. ElletsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his oral answer to the hon. Member for Staffordshire, South (Mr. Cormack) of 1 April,Official Report, column 500, what assessment he has made of UNMO document DTG: 131600Z Mar 93 and, note verbale S/24900/Add.27 of 16 March in relation to the identity, origin or destination of the aircraft that violated the no-fly zone over Bosnia-Herzegovina near Gladovici on 13 March; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. HanleyAssessment of available evidence of the reported no-fly zone violation on 13 March has not produced conclusive proof as to the nature of the mission, the identity of the aircraft operators, or the location of the aircraft operating base.