§ Lord Hyltonasked Her Majesty's Government:
When they expect that the Allied Commander in Kosovo will have a police force of 3,000 at his disposal, as was originally agreed. [HL3412]
§ Baroness Symons of Vernham DeanIt was agreed at the Friends of the UN Secretary-General for Kosovo meeting in New York on 30 June that the United 3WA Nations Mission in Kosovo should acquire the capacity to take over responsibility for policing from KFOR as soon as possible. The UN has already deployed an advance party of police officers to Kosovo to establish a headquarters and to liaise with KFOR. It is expected that the main component of the UN police force will start to deploy from the middle of July. As of 1 July, 2,400 police had been pledged to the United Nations out of the total 3,110 required. My right honourable friend the Foreign Secretary has pledged up to 60 British police officers to recruit, train and monitor a civil police force in Kosovo.
§ Lord Hyltonasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will ask for the earliest possible appointment of the head of the United Nations interim administration in Kosovo; and whether this person will be located in the same building as the military commander. [HL3414]
§ Baroness Symons of Vernham DeanOn 2 July the UN Secretary-General appointed M. Bernard Kouchner as his Special Representative to head the UN Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), replacing Sr. Sergio Viera de Mello, who headed the mission while a permanent Special Representative was being sought.
Although M. Kouchner will not be located in the same building as the Commander of KFOR, both men are tasked by UNSCR 1244 to ensure that UNMIK and KFOR operate towards the same goals and in a mutually supportive manner.
§ Lord Hyltonasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they are satisfied that KFOR in Kosovo is effectively protecting the religious buildings of all faiths and churches, as symbols of communal identity, from damage. [HL3435]
§ Baroness Symons of Vernham DeanKFOR is tasked with providing robust and even-handed protection for everyone in Kosovo. KFOR is doing all it can to protect the buildings of all faiths and churches in Kosovo.