HL Deb 05 May 1994 vol 554 cc67-8WA
Lord Kennet

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they approve Secretary Perry's suggestion (answers to questions after his 14th March speech at George Washington University) that in order to achieve "more streamlined command authority" in Bosnia, the UN should be excluded from the decision-making process when the commander in the field calls for "close support".

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Employment (Lord Henley)

Procedures for requesting close air support have recently been reviewed by the United Nations and are considered satisfactory. NATO operates in support of the United Nations in Bosnia, where the commander in the field is a United Nations general. The United Nations Secretary-General has delegated the authorisation of close air support to his special representative in the former Yugoslavia. It is for United Nations commanders to request such support on the basis of their assessment of the situation on the ground.

Lord Kennet

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether the "NATO plans" referred to in the report in the International Herald Tribune of Monday 25 April as having been developed by Lt. Gen. Joseph W. Ashy, which envisage "an intense and protracted bombing campaign" in order to "ensure the security" of the various "safe areas", have been developed exclusively under NATO auspices or in collaboration with Admiral Smith's non-NATO staff.

Lord Henley

Planning for possible air interdiction operations has been undertaken by NATO military authorities in conjunction with UNPROFOR.

Lord Kennet

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether the NATO/United Nations chain of command is the only one that can trigger the launching of "an intense and protracted bombing campaign" in Bosnia, or is it open to Admiral Smith to order the forces under his non-NATO command to undertake such a campaign.

Lord Henley

Either NATO or UN commanders can initiate a request for air strikes. Both must be in agreement, and the UN Secretary-General's special representative in the former Yugoslavia must give his authorisation before Admiral Smith, acting in his capacity as NATO's Southern Commander, can trigger air interdiction strikes.

Lord Kennet

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Assuming that the description in the report of 25 April of Admiral Smith's "philosophy" is accurate (that is that the "overwhelming use of force is more likely to achieve the desired political results than tentative limited strikes"), whether it is generally shared within NATO's high command.

Lord Henley

NATO air power is used in the former Yugoslavia under the authority of UN Security Council Resolutions and in support of UNPROFOR on the ground. NATO commanders co-operate closely with the UN and UNPROFOR commanders, and the appropriate scale of NATO air operations is agreed between them.