Bosnia and Herzegovina
Debate between Baroness Wheeler and Lord Peach
Lord Peach (CB)
My Lords, I declare my interest as the former Prime Minister’s envoy to the western Balkan region. I join in congratulating the noble Baroness, Lady Helic, on gaining this short debate. I very much align myself not just with the quality of her speech but with the content.
Of course, we can all be honest with ourselves in your Lordships’ House that when Dayton was created, nobody probably expected it as an agreement to be helping to run a country 30 years hence. But it is, and we must protect it. In the over three years that I had that role, I visited the region more than 100 times. When you stand or sit in Sarajevo, you feel the hand of history; you know what happened there. Many British soldiers lost their lives in gaining the Dayton accords and agreements, and we must also honour their memory.
The ethnic tension I saw in that role is very real; it is stoked by modern techniques and social media, and also age-old tensions. The noble Baroness, Lady Helic, is right to remind us that regional powers play both a role that is allegedly positive, in wanting to join the European Union, and then a role within the ethnic groups that is the opposite. The noble Lord, Lord Robertson, has made that clear. I strongly associate myself with his phrase that there is a real risk of spillover.
As I regularly reported from the region, Russian influence is cheap. It is not hard for Russia to establish influence, and worse, in and around Banja Luka, the capital of Republika Srpska. It is enabled for Russia so to do, and it does not miss an opportunity. There are sensitive issues here, not least the kinship and the myth of folk relationships through the Slavic brotherhood and the Orthodox Church—often myths but often exploited. So there are real dangers in the fragility that the noble Baroness, Lady Helic, has made clear.
Another, human element to this is also clear from my time as special envoy: far too many young and talented people from Bosnia and Herzegovina are leaving their country because of the actions of their own politicians. Many of them told me that. They have largely migrated to Europe and are forming their new lives there. They are not going back—they are not temporary—and that diminishes the strength in society.
I also strongly align myself with the thoughts around the European Union Force. It is for the European Union to determine how strong it must be for the situation, but it must have sufficient mandate, supported by a high representative, to enable it to sustain the territorial integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and not allow that territorial integrity to be hijacked by those who wish for some form of secession.
Captain of the King’s Bodyguard of the Yeomen of the Guard and Deputy Chief Whip (Baroness Wheeler) (Lab)
The speaking time is three minutes, and the noble and gallant Lord is over his time. If he takes much longer, other noble Lords will not have their time to speak; it is a timed debate.
Lord Peach (CB)
It is time for the UK to honour its reputation, which is very strong. We should retain our leadership role and our influence. We have done so for 30 years; now is not the time to stop.