Bosnia (Hansard, 14 December 1994)

§ 29. Mr. Soley
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on British policy in Bosnia.
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§ Mr. Douglas Hogg
Our policy, which we share with the other members of the contact group, remains to bring about a peaceful settlement in Bosnia by negotiation. We fully support the UN's efforts to achieve a ceasefire around Bihac and the rest of Bosnia. This would provide a platform for a resumption of political negotiations on the basis of the contract group plan.

§ 35. Ms Eagle
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received concerning the future role of NATO in Bosnia.

§ Mr. David Davis
I have received no formal representations on the future role of NATO in Bosnia. The United Kingdom fully supports NATO's continuing assistance to the efforts of the UN to provide humanitarian relief and to contain the conflict in Bosnia. These efforts cannot, however, be a substitute for an agreement by the parties on a negotiated settlement which we believe offers the only durable solution to the crisis.

§ Mr. Austin Mitchell
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is NATO's role in the war in Bosnia.

§ Mr. David Davis
NATO's role in the Bosnian conflict is to enforce the UN arms and trade embargoes and to support UN peacekeeping operations, in accordance with UN Security Council resolutions. It provides naval assets to the joint Western European Union—NATO Operation Sharp Guard. It also provides aircraft to enforce the no-fly zone in Bosnian airspace and, at UN request, to assist and protect UNPROFOR in the performance of its mandate.

§ Mr. Austin Mitchell
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what considerations led to the recognition of Bosnia-Herzegovina.

§ Mr. Douglas Hogg
The United Kingdom recognised Bosnia-Herzegovina on 7 April 1992. This decision was taken following consideration of the report of the arbitration commission of the conference on Yugoslavia.

§ Mr. Austin Mitchell
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what are the historical, ethnic and cultural grounds for the nature of the United Kingdom's diplomatic relations with(a) Estonia and (b) the Bosnian Serbs.

§ Mr. Douglas Hogg
We have rebuilt the close relations we enjoyed with Estonia before 1940 based on our strong support for her independence and democratic and economic development. The United Kingdom does:not have diplomatic relations with the Bosnian Serbs.

§ Mr. Austin Mitchell
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the countries which protested when the Bosnian Muslims launched attacks from Sarajevo and Bihac against the Bosnian Serbs.

§ Mr. Douglas Hogg
We are not aware of any such protests.

§ Mr. Austin Mitchell
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has about the ethnic composition of Bosnia-Herzegovina before recent hostilities began.
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§ Mr. Douglas Hogg
According to the 1991 census, the population of Bosnia-Herzegovina was:

Per cent.

Muslims 43.7

Serbs 31.3

Croats 17.3

Others 7.7

§ Mr. Austin Mitchell
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which countries have recognised Bosnia-Herzegovina as a state; at what dates; and what arguments were put forward for doing so.

§ Mr. Douglas Hogg
Bosnia-Herzegovina has been recognised by: Bulgaria, date of recognition 15.1.92; Turkey, 6.2.92; Iran, 8.3.92; Libya, 16.3.92; all EU member states, 7.4.92; USA, 7.4.92; Croatia, 7.4.92; Egypt, 16.4.92; Saudi Arabia, 17.4.92 and Russia, 28.4.92.
We recognised Bosnia-Herzegovina following consideration of the report of the arbitration commission of the conference on Yugoslavia.

§ Mr. Austin Mitchell
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether NATO encouraged the Bosnian Muslims to mount an offensive against the Serbs from Sarajevo.

§ Mr. David Davis
No. NATO acts in the former Yugoslavia under an impartial UN mandate in support of the UN's peacekeeping, humanitarian and sanctions operations.