§ Lord Juddasked Her Majesty's Government:
By what criteria it will be established that there are acceptable conditions, including security, winter-proof accommodation, social infrastructure, health services, educational facilities, basic amenities and economic prospects for refugees from Kosovo to be encouraged to return home. [HL2889]
§ Baroness AmosThe primary conditions for the return of refugees to Kosovo is adequate security. We believe the refugees should be provided with full information and support but should make their own decisions on when they believe it is right to return. The refugees want to go home. The role of the international community is to provide humanitarian assistance to those who need it and practical support to assist them in the rebuilding of Kosovo.
The United Nations High Commission for Refugees is the internationally designated lead agency responsible 41WA for co-ordinating provision for the refugees from Kosovo and their return. The Department for International Development is working with them and other agencies to ensure that returning Kosovars have the resources they need through the winter and beyond. An emergency assessment team, 'working in close co-operation with Kosovo Force, is currently evaluating the urgent priorities in Pristina and a DfID field office will be set up in Pristina as soon as the security situation allows.
§ Lord Juddasked Her Majesty's Government:
What arrangements are being made to ensure that refugees from Kosovo are able to make an informed choice about their future residence in a way that will look to their educational, employment, health and general needs and to those of their families. [HL2890]
§ Baroness AmosThe Department for International Development (DfID) regards the principle of informed choice as crucial to successful refugee return and is promoting this through a number of initiatives. We are funding an expert in Tirana to support the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees' (UNHCR) attempts to co-ordinate the provision of information. We are supporting radio broadcasts, and are helping refugees get access to broadcast information by funding the provision of 13,500 clockwork radios. Five thousand of these have already been distributed in the camps in Albania and Macedonia. We are also supporting the re-establishment of Kosovar print and electronic media (such as Kosovo Sot newspaper and Radio TV 21).