Written question asked by John Austin (Labour) on Wednesday, 21 October 1998, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 26 October 1998. It was answered by Tony Lloyd (Labour) on Monday, 26 October 1998 on behalf of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps have been taken to ensure that the International Criminal Tribunal is able to investigate war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Kosova.

Answer: Mr. Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps have been taken to ensure that the International Criminal Tribunal is able to investigate war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Kosovo. [56482] Mr. Tony Lloyd: On 31 March this year, the UN Security Council adopted Resolution 1160 (1998) which urged the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia to begin gathering information related to the violence in Kosovo that might fall within its jurisdiction. The Council also noted that the authorities of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia had an obligation to co-operate with the Tribunal. In its Resolution 1199 (1998) adopted on 23 September, the Security Council called upon both the authorities of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and the leaders of the Kosovo Albanian community to co-operate fully with the Prosecutor of the Tribunal in the investigation of possible violations of international humanitarian law within the jurisdiction of the Tribunal. The UK took the lead in drafting this resolution. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has also urged the Tribunal to investigate the massacres in Gornje Obrinje and near Vucitern in Kosovo. A team of investigators from the Tribunal has recently returned from Kosovo and the Prosecutor has publicly announced her intention to lead the next investigative mission.

Secondary information