Kosovo

11:29:00

Lord Maclennan of Rogart
asked Her Majesty’s Government:

What steps they are taking to seek to concert the policies of the European Union towards Kosovo.

The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Malloch-Brown)
My Lords, in recent meetings of the EU there has been strong recognition that the status quo in Kosovo is unsustainable and that an early settlement is vital. All within the EU recognise that Kosovo provides an important test of the credibility of the EU’s common foreign and security policy. At the General Affairs and External Relations Council on 19 November, the EU reiterated the necessity of rapidly finding a solution to the Kosovo status issue.

Lord Maclennan of Rogart
My Lords, in light of the withdrawal of the UN mediators yesterday and the dangerous probability of Hashim Thaçi, the Kosovo Prime Minister in waiting, making a unilateral declaration of independence, do the Government accept that the European Union should seek to engage with the Russian Government to promote further peaceful dialogue between Serbia and Kosovo, which, while recognising the internal autonomy of Kosovo, strives for a confederal solution that recognises the economic interdependence of those countries in the Balkans and the need to end ethnic conflict?

Lord Malloch-Brown
My Lords, noble Lords will know that the timing of this Question is very appropriate given that yesterday the troika, which included a Russian representative, announced that:

“Regrettably the parties were unable to reach agreement on”—
 

Kosovo’s future “status”.

Every effort has been made to involve Russia in an agreed decision and to make the two communities agree a common way forward.

Unfortunately, it looks as though we are at the end of the road and I am not sure that it is possible again to try to find a common way forward with Russia. The place to test that will be if this is brought back to the Security Council to approve the next steps.

Lord Ahmed
My Lords, is the Minister aware that the great majority of the Albanian Kosovan community want an independent Kosovo? Should we not be supporting the right to self-determination of the Kosovan people and supporting their basic right of independence if the great majority—90 per cent—want that?

Lord Malloch-Brown
My Lords, the noble Lord points to the strong ambition for independence among the Kosovar community. However, it is precisely the need to find a solution to the problems of the Balkans that respects not only majority but minority rights that has led to this extended negotiation, and why we still have to find a political solution to this situation.

Lord Ashdown of Norton-sub-Hamdon
My Lords, are we not reaping the whirlwind of a decision far too long delayed, which should have been taken much earlier—preferably in 1999? Does the Minister recognise that in consequence the potential crisis in the Balkans extends way beyond Kosovo and includes now Bosnia and Herzegovina where the Serb authorities and Republika Srpska intend to hold a referendum preparatory to a unilateral declaration of independence and the break up of the Bosnian state? Does the Minister agree that that will initiate a crisis of far greater proportions even than that in Kosovo? Will he therefore assure the House that NATO is prepared, willing and able to take whatever steps are necessary to assure the internal security of Kosovo and the territorial integrity of Bosnia?

Lord Malloch-Brown
My Lords, I imagine that the noble Lord knows more about the situation than any of us in this House. Therefore his concern is one that we should all take enormously seriously. First, we should be encouraged by the fact that none of the parties to this conflict has suggested a reversion to violence: despite the very serious disagreements, all sides are still pursuing a political solution to this. In terms of the readiness of NATO, as I am sure the noble Lord is aware, there is actually a UK responsibility in the first part of next year to be the battalion ready for immediate deployment if extra needs occur. We are already heavily committed to that mission and I have no doubt that NATO and our allies will be able to call on us if the need for extra forces, which I devoutly hope does not occur, does arise.

Lord Howell of Guildford
My Lords, the noble Lord, Lord Ashdown, is completely right that this could all spark a much wider conflict and a split yet again in Bosnia-Herzegovina, which would be a tragedy. We are all for concerting our views with the EU and other countries but I urge the Minister to accept that, before we tick the box marked “independence”, which our American colleagues seem to be keen on, we should realise that Russia and Serbia want to go on talking, and that, for all its prickliness, Russia has sensitivities. They are that if countries start breaking up, even in the name of self-determination, other bits of Russia might fall off as well. If we understand that, we may just avoid having to be reinvolved with the troops—if we have the troops, of course—in another conflict in this area.

Lord Malloch-Brown
My Lords, the noble Lord is right to emphasise the need to keep talking and that is why I say that there must be a political approach. However, every opportunity has been given to Serbia and to Russia to provide a way forward. There have been endless negotiations, the Ahtisaari proposals and those of the troika and Ambassador Ischinger. We have to be realistic and accept that you cannot talk for ever. People must put proposals on the table or one must assume that talk has become a substitute for finding a solution.

Lord Craig of Radley
My Lords, in the unfortunate event that UK forces have to be committed to this area, can the Minister assure the House that an exit strategy for those forces will be worked out before they are committed on the ground?

Lord Malloch-Brown
My Lords, the noble and gallant Lord makes an important point; I very much hope that that will be the case. I stress again that at the moment there is no indication by any party of a reversion to violence. We very much hope that we will find a political, not a military, solution to this situation.