HC Deb 17 February 1995 vol 254 cc888-9W
Mr. Worthington

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs in what circumstances it is the practice in a United Nations peacekeeping mission to install a radio station to communicate accurate information to the local population; and if he will make a statement on conclusions drawn on the desirability of such an action after the experiences of Rwanda and Somalia.

Mr. Baldry

The United Nations has no set criteria for the establishment of a radio station in any peacekeeping operation. It is clear to the UN Secretary-General, however, that peacekeeping operations need an effective information capacity to enable them to explain their mandate to the population and, by providing a credible and impartial source of information, to counter misinformation disseminated about them. We agree with his view that radio is the most effective medium for this purpose.

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