Asked by: Baroness Helic (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they have taken since 1 August 2024 to ensure that all parties adhere to the terms of the Dayton Peace Agreement.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK is committed to the Dayton Peace Agreement (DPA) and clear that domestic actors and signatories must continue to adhere to the DPA, which has delivered 30 years of peace in BiH. We have worked through the Peace Implementation Council, and with the High Representative, to bolster domestic institutions to respond to internal and external threats to the DPA. On the international stage, we have urged leaders to use their influence positively and refrain from actions which could undermine the constitutional framework of BiH, including in senior bilateral meetings between ministers and in multilateral fora like the United Nations.
Asked by: Baroness Helic (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they have taken since 1 August 2024 to work with the Peace Implementation Council under the Dayton Peace Agreement to monitor developments in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK remains committed to maintaining peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), including through active support for the Dayton Peace Agreement. The UK meets regularly with other members of the Peace Implementation Council (PIC)'s Steering Board in BiH to discuss developments. On 10 March, The Minister of State for Europe, North America and the Overseas Territories, Stephen Doughty MP spoke with BiH Foreign Minister Elmedin Konakovic to reaffirm the UK's support for BiH, the rule of law, and the Dayton Peace Agreement. In December 2024, we secured a strong communiqué by PIC Political Directors on the situation in BiH. In response to secessionist moves by Republika Srpska politicians since August 2024, we have worked with our PIC partners and the High Representative to deliver a strong, unified message against these unconstitutional actions, and to protect BiH's institutions from attempts to undermine them.
Asked by: Baroness Helic (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they have taken since 1 August 2024 to fulfil the UK's role as a guarantor of the Dayton Peace Agreement to support the stability and implementation of the agreement in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK remains committed to maintaining peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) and fulfilment of its roles as a member of the Peace Implementation Council (PIC)'s Steering Board and witness to the Dayton Peace Agreement. In December 2024, we secured a strong communiqué by PIC Political Directors on the situation in BiH. In coordination with international partners and the High Representative, we have supported local actors and institutions in their robust response to Republika Srpska politicians' secessionist moves. On 10 March, the Minister for Europe, Stephen Doughty MP spoke with BiH Foreign Minister Elmedin Konakovic to reaffirm the UK's support for BiH, the rule of law, and the Dayton Peace Agreement. We have also supported BiH's stability through bilateral contributions, including deploying staff officers to NATO HQ Sarajevo and promoting reconciliation via local institutions.
Asked by: Baroness Helic (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to support (1) Operation Althea, and (2) the NATO headquarters in Sarajevo, under the Dayton Peace Agreement.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We see both the European Union Force (EUFOR) and NATO as vital for maintaining peace and security in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), and work closely with our international partners to achieve these goals. We continue to support EUFOR's role in upholding the military aspects of the Dayton Peace Agreement, and engage regularly with EUFOR and the EU Delegation in BiH. We are supporting defence reform and BiH's capacity to counter cyber threats and disinformation. We also support security in BiH through our bilateral contributions, including deploying staff officers to NATO HQ Sarajevo and our programme of defence engagement delivered to BiH's Armed Forces.
Asked by: Baroness Helic (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that they impose sanctions on individuals who threaten Bosnia and Herzegovina's sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK fully supports the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH). The UK sanctioned Republika Srpska entity leaders Milorad Dodik and Zeljka Cvijanovic in April 2022 for their attempts to undermine the legitimacy and functionality of BiH. The UK has applied sanctions to others since then. It is UK Government policy not to speculate on future designations, as doing so risks undermining the impact of sanctions.
Asked by: Baroness Helic (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what recent discussions they have had with American and European counterparts regarding reports of a deepening security crisis in the Western Balkans; and what assessment they have made of the implications for UK and European security.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Stability in the Western Balkans is important for UK and European security. Minister Doughty visited Montenegro and Serbia in January, where he discussed developments in the region with leaders. We continue to cooperate closely with our European and American partners. The UK hosted a meeting of 'Quint' (UK, US, France, Germany, Italy plus the European External Action Service (EEAS), European Commission and NATO) representatives in London on 26-27 February 2025 and discussions included the security implications of recent developments in the Western Balkans. The appointment of Dame Karen Pierce as the new Special Envoy and the UK hosting of the Berlin Process will be important opportunities to expand cooperation with our partners in the Western Balkans to help drive regional economic growth and tackle the common challenge of irregular migration.
Asked by: Baroness Helic (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the use of the Western Balkans as a transit route for irregular migration, arms smuggling and drug trafficking; and what concrete steps they have taken since June 2024 with European allies to strengthen partnerships aimed at disrupting criminal networks in the Western Balkans that facilitate irregular migration.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Western Balkans is a notable transit route for third country nationals being trafficked to the UK, as well as being a route of concern for the trafficking of illicit commodities.
Since July 2024, this Government has sought to further cooperation across the region to target a range of threats from organised crime groups based in the Western Balkans. This has included agreeing a series of joint operational initiatives with Albania in December 2024 to further our work on preventing irregular migration and the smuggling of illicit commodities, and in November 2024 reaching new agreements with Kosovo and Serbia on preventing organised immigration crime, and with North Macedonia on working together to disrupt the activities of organised criminals who seek to undermine border security.
The UK is hosting the Berlin Process later this year, bringing together Western Balkan states and other European partners to discuss shared solutions to these issues.
Asked by: Baroness Helic (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the government of Serbia’s response to recent demonstrations, including reports of incidents against peaceful protesters; and what steps they have taken to encourage that government to conduct a full, impartial, and swift investigation into reports of violence against demonstrators.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We are closely following developments in Serbia, where large-scale peaceful street protests continue after the tragic collapse of a station canopy last November. When the Minister of State for Europe visited Belgrade in January 2025, he raised the worrying incidents of violence against peaceful protesters. It is important that these incidents are investigated swiftly. The Minister of State for Europe underlined the importance of respect for citizens' rights of freedom of expression and assembly, and of continuing responsible policing of protests. When the Minister of State for Europe visited Belgrade last month, he discussed with the Serbian government and others, the importance of respect for citizens' rights of freedom of expression and assembly, and the importance of peaceful dialogue on all sides.
Asked by: Baroness Helic (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to support measures to document the locations of reported mass graves in Gaza; and what representations they have made to, or received from, the International Commission on Missing Persons regarding the protection of such sites, conducting investigations, and facilitating the reliable identification of human remains.
Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
We have not made, or received, representations from the International Commission of Missing Persons. It has not been possible to send equipment to Gaza, required to conduct such investigations.
Asked by: Baroness Helic (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have (1) made representations to, or (2) received representations from, other Commonwealth member states about Rwanda’s alleged involvement in destabilising activities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Foreign Secretary has spoken with President Kagame, and I have spoken to the Rwandan Foreign Minister and High Commissioner in the UK, to call for immediate de-escalation and a return to diplomatic talks. We have urged Rwanda that there would be a strong response to an attack on Goma from the international community. The Foreign Secretary also raised eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo with the Kenyan, and South African Foreign Ministers, with whom he expressed condolences for their 14 peacekeepers killed. I have also spoken to the Ugandan Foreign Minister, emphasising the importance of a coordinated international response. The UK has further engaged with other Commonwealth partners at official level to push for an end to the killing and a return to peaceful negotiations.