HL Deb 10 January 1994 vol 551 cc2-3WA
Lord Avebury

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What contribution they have made to the United Nations voluntary fund to pay for the Bosnia War Crimes Tribunal.

Baroness Chalker of Wallasey

None. The War Crimes Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia will be funded by the UN. Establishment costs of $500,000 have been approved and running costs for the first year will be approximately $31 million. The UK will expect to pay its normal Regular Budget share of this expenditure, which is 5.02 per cent.

Lord Avebury

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What requests they have received for technical or professional help, or other resources in kind; for the Bosnia War Crimes Tribunal, and what replies they made.

Baroness Chalker of Wallasey

The Commission of Experts was established by Security Council Resolution 780 to collate and analyse information on atrocities committed in the former Yugoslavia. The UK has supplied two substantiated batches of evidence to them and a requested report on rape is to be submitted shortly. The Secretary General has appealed, on behalf of the Commission, to all donors for resources for the Commission's Trust Fund and technical help for its investigatory projects. The War Crimes Tribunal has so far made no requests for assistance but we are currently considering how we can help.

Lord Avebury

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many testimonies have been recorded by officials or members of the armed services from victims of alleged war crimes in Bosnia; what requests have been received by them from the Bosnia War Crimes Tribunal to make this information available, and what reply they made.

Baroness Chalker of Wallasey: The MoD's Defence Debriefing Team has interviewed approximately 4,000 entrants to the UK from the former Yugoslavia since the conflict began. Security Council Resolution 771 of 13 August 1992 calls on states to collate substantiated information relating to violations of humanitarian law in the former Yugoslavia. The UK has submitted two high quality batches of such information to the Commission.