§ Mr. Llew SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the impact of British military equipment exported to Yugoslavia since 1989 on the present conflict. [80160]
§ Mr. George RobertsonI have been asked to reply.
Since the introduction of UN and EU arms embargoes in 1991 we have no evidence of UK companies, either directly or through intermediaries, supplying the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia with any military equipment prohibited by the embargoes. Details of military equipment exports during the period 1 January 1989 to July 1991, when the EU embargo was applied, were published on 16 February 1993, Official Report, columns 124–32, in reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Blaenau Gwent (Mr. Smith). These included military aircraft component spares, which were short term consumable items and are unlikely to still be in service. We assess that they have had little direct impact on operations.
Radar equipment and spare parts to support the civil/military radar system were also supplied. Many of these assets have been attacked and damaged or destroyed by NATO air-strikes. We believe that some UK supplied equipment is continuing to contribute to Serbia's remaining air surveillance capability.