HC Deb 14 July 1999 vol 335 cc251-2W
Mr. McNamara

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate he has made of when the River Danube in Serbia will be open for normal commercial traffic; what assessment he has made of the effect of the blocking of the River Danube to commercial traffic on the economies of adjacent states other than Serbia; and what help is being given by NATO and the EU to adjacent states whose commercial and industrial traffic has been affected by the blocking of the Danube by destroyed Serbian bridges. [90004]

Mr. Tony Lloyd

We do not know when the River Danube will be open for normal commercial traffic. We are in close touch with all the countries surrounding Serbia, and with the international financial institutions who are carrying out economic impact assessments. We have already contributed to packages of support for those countries, other than Serbia, most directly affected, and will continue to do so.