§ Mr. BluntTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs in what forum, and in what form, the Greek Government agreed there was a legal base for military action against Yugoslavia between March and June 1999. [98560]
§ Mr. VazThe then Secretary-General of NATO announced on 23 March that he had directed the Supreme Allied Commander in Europe to initiate air operations in the Former Republic of Yugoslavia. The Secretary-General noted that his decision had been taken after extensive consultations with all the Allies, including Greece.
§ Mr. BluntTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will set out the legal basis for NATO's military action in Yugoslavia between March and June 1999. [98561]
164W
£ million Start date Planned completion date Current expected completion date Planned cost Current estimated cost FIRECREST July 1997 December 2001 December 2001 66.2 85 GTP March 1997 August 1998 January 2000 1.9 1.9 FORTRESS January 1998 March 1999 December 1999 3.8 3.8 VIP December 1998 December 2000 December 2000 3.7 3.7
§ Mr. VazThe Government have set out the position on a number of occasions. This is that cases have arisen (as in Northern Iraq in 1991) when, in the light of all the circumstances, a limited use of force was justifiable in support of purposes laid down by the Security Council, but without the Council's express authorisation, when that was the only means to avert an immediate and overwhelming humanitarian catastrophe. Such cases would in the nature of things be exceptional and would depend on an objective assessment of the factual circumstances at the time, and on the terms of the relevant decisions of the Security Council bearing on the situation in question.
In the case of Kosovo, NATO took the view in March of this year, given the circumstances at the time, that the use of force was the only route left to avert a humanitarian catastrophe.