HL Deb 11 October 1999 vol 605 c13WA
Lord Kennet

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How a statement by a member of the Strategic Institute of the United States Army War College that "in the end, NATO had to go after the civilian infrastructure" tallies with their assertions that all targets were military-related as stated by the Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean on 14 June (H.L. Deb., col. 9), that "It was never part of NATO's agenda to attack civilian targets, nor to wear down the civilian population". [HL3610]

Baroness Scotland of Asthal

NATO operations in Yugoslavia were based on collective decisions taken by the North Atlantic Council. The military campaign was explicitly designed to damage and disrupt the capability of the Yugoslav military, paramilitary and police to carry out repressive operations in Kosovo.

NATO regrets any civilian casualties and collateral damage. NATO did not intentionally plan military operations against civilian targets. NATO's approach was in stark contrast to President Milosevic's brutal and systematic campaign of violence against civilian men, women and children in Kosovo.

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