§ Lord Astor of Heverasked Her Majesty's Government:
What mandate has been given to SFOR by the North Atlantic Council to assist the International War Crimes Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia; and whether this mandate has been fulfilled; and [HL3277]
What mandate has been given to SFOR by the North Atlantic Council to assist the Bosnian authorities in apprehending the alleged war criminals still living in Bosnia-Herzegovina; and [HL3278]
What plans there are for the formation of a special NATO force tasked with apprehending war criminals in Bosnia-Herzegovina. [HL3279]
§ Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean:NATO Stabilisation Force (SFOR) is authorised to apprehend persons indicted for war crimes (PIFWCs) in the course of its normal duties. This authorisation stems from its mandate under the Dayton peace accords and UN Security Council resolutions to ensure peace and stability in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
3WAWe expect the NATO presence to comprise a few hundred personnel, and focus on defence reform. We also expect that it will undertake some operational tasks including playing a role in detaining PIFWCs and counter-terrorism activities.