Bosnia and Herzegovina
Debate between Lord Peach and Baroness Chapman of Darlington
Lord Peach
To ask His Majesty’s Government what recent discussions they have had with the United States about the political and security situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (Baroness Chapman of Darlington) (Lab)
My Lords, we are working closely with the United States, including through the Quint, the Peace Implementation Council and the United Nations Security Council, to support peace and stability in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Quint remain firmly committed to Bosnia and Herzegovina’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. With October’s elections approaching, we continue to discuss our concern about increasing anti-Dayton rhetoric, the rise in Islamophobia and other divisive narratives.
Lord Peach (CB)
My Lords, I declare my interest as the UK Prime Minister’s special envoy to the western Balkans from 2021 to 2025. I thank the Minister for her Answer. As she just indicated, the UK has been supporting peace and stability in Bosnia, including through the service of the noble and gallant Lord, Lord Walker, as the commander there, for almost 30 years. That peace and stability sustains, yet it is under threat from rhetoric and provocation. The former President of Republika Srpska, Milorad Dodik, is a very frequent visitor to Moscow, where he receives what could only be described as instructions. Secession is still in the language in that country, and I think we can all agree that that would be a disaster for the integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina, raise the spectre of tension and worse. We have an excellent embassy, but can the Minister reassure me that significant thinking and planning is in place should the security situation deteriorate?
Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Lab)
I thank the noble and gallant Lord for his service and commend the work of his successor, Dame Karen Pierce, in this absolutely vital role. Yes, I can give him that commitment. My colleague—the MP Stephen Doughty, whom I am sure he knows well—leads on this, as he knows, in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. Our commitment, as witnesses to the Dayton agreement, remains steadfast.