§ Lord Hyltonasked Her Majesty's Government:
What emergency measures are in hand to put right the shortfall in numbers of the international police force agreed for Kosovo; and when it is expected that the planned strength will be achieved. [HL108]
§ Baroness Scotland of AsthalUNMIK police are now present in all five regions of Kosovo, and have relieved KFOR of responsibility for maintaining law and order in 60 per cent of Kosovo. As of 17 November, 1,809 UN police officers were in Kosovo.
The UN Secretary-General has recently notified the Security Council of the need to revise the original estimate of police officers required from 3,100 to 4,718. The UN has approached some 50 member countries for increased contributions to cover this urgent requirement. The UN expects to reach the new target by April 2000. Sixty UK police officers have been working with the UN International Police in Kosovo since the beginning of November.