§ Lord Astor of Heverasked Her Majesty's Government:
What is their view of the security situation in Serbia and Montenegro following the parliamentary elections on 28 December 2003. [HL1581]
§ Baroness Symons of Vernham DeanThe security situation in Serbia and Montenegro is stable. The Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe's election observation mission reported that Serbian parliamentary elections were conducted in a free and fair manner. In February, there were some isolated security incidents in south Serbia and Kosovo but these were largely related to the specific political processes in these regions.
155WASerbia has experienced a degree of instability in recent months, especially following parliamentary elections in December. This has delayed reform and efforts to implement the Serbia and Montenegro state union. We urge the new coalition Government in Belgrade and the Montenegro Government to increase the pace of reform. In particular, co-operation with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia is vital, as is constructive engagement over Kosovo. This will ensure progress toward Euro-Atlantic integration and contribute to regional stability.