§ Mr. Austin-WalkerTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action he has taken or proposes to take regarding violations of human rights by the Serbian authorities in Kosovo; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Douglas Hogg[holding answer 4 March 1994]: We condemn reported Serbian violation of human rights in Kosovo and continue to press for the return of the CSCE monitors expelled from Kosovo in 1993. Members of the British embassy in Belgrade visit the region regularly, and maintain contact with the political parties based there. I met Dr. Rugova in London in December.
§ Mr. Austin-WalkerTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has received the report of the United States State Department on human rights in Kosovo; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Douglas Hogg[holding answer 4 March 1994]: Yes, we have received the State Department report on human rights in Serbia/Montenegro, which includes Kosovo.
§ Mr. Austin-WalkerTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the expulsion of the conference on security and co-operation in Europe monitors from Kosovo.
§ Mr. Douglas Hogg[holding answer 4 March 1994: In July 1993 the Belgrade authorities refused to allow the CSCE missions in Kosovo, Sandjak and Vojvodina to continue their activities and the missions had to withdraw. The United Kingdom had contributed two monitors.
The CSCE continues to press for the return of the missions. Their presence was a stabilising influence and contributed to the prevention of conflict. The CSCE is monitoring developments in the region with the help of diplomats from CSCE embassies in Belgrade.
§ Mr. Austin-WalkerTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate he has made of the number of people of Albanian descent who have fled from Kosovo over the past two years.
§ Mr. Douglas Hogg[holding answer 4 March 1994]: We understand that numbers of people, of both Serbian and Albanian descent, have left Kosovo in the last two years, but do not have reliable figures.