HC Deb 02 March 1994 vol 238 cc751-2W
28. Mr. Pickthall

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about his Department's plans for the relief of Tuzla.

Mr. Douglas Hogg

UNHCR convoys are supplying aid to Tuzla by road from Belgrade and Zenica.

We welcome the announcement in Moscow yesterday that the Bosnian Serbs have agreed to allow Tuzla airport to be opened to humanitarian supplies in the near future.

My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister took the lead at the NATO summit in proposing that NATO urge the United Nations to draw up plans to open Tuzla airport to humanitarian supplies. UNPROFOR has drawn up these plans, which include the possibility of calling for NATO close air support if necessary. These have our full support. As a first stage the Nordic battalion of UNPROFOR is to take possession of Tuzla airport from the Bosnian Government within the next few days. We have offered up to 15 specialists to help to operate the airport.

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