---

Western Balkans

: What certainly does not help the debate is some of the speculation that has followed the death of Milosevic. I believe that the hon. Gentleman will understand if I am cautious in my remarks. I assure him that Milosevic's health was monitored carefully by the tribunal. Milosevic received medical treatment at The Hague, and we are confident that the tribunal's decision was taken on the basis of medical evidence. I will write to the hon. Gentleman and place in the Library a copy of my letter, which will set out the UK Government's understanding of the treatment that was received. It ill serves the interests of reconciliation in the region if rumours take the place of truth. We have full confidence in the work of the tribunal. It has tried 61 cases to date, and a similar number are still in the pipeline. The tribunal is independent and has judges from a variety of countries. Cases are brought and judged on the basis of evidence, and have been bought against all ethnic groups in the region. The President announced a judicial inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the death of Milosevic, the results of which will be known in due course. The UK wants a strategic partnership with Serbia, but first Serbia needs to understand that there is no short cut to EU or NATO membership. Serbia must meet its obligations to the tribunal, notably by delivering Ratko Mladic and Radovan Karadzic to The Hague, and adopt a constructive approach to Kosovo, Bosnia and a potentially independent Montenegro. I hope that the death of Milosevic will unlock Serbia's self-imposed isolation by helping it to come to terms with the past and to look forward to a future within the wider European community. I recognise that Serbia has made real progress—after all, it was through public demonstrations that Milosevic fell from power—but Serbia's politicians now must lead their people by charting a political vision that will ultimately lead to integration into Euro-Atlantic structures. We remain ready to help the Serbian Government and people attain those goals. On Montenegro, we are well served by outstanding diplomats in the Foreign Office, but I fear that I am able to shed little light on the Eurovision song contest, to which the hon. Gentleman referred. The referendum on Montenegro's independence from Serbia is scheduled for 21 May. We welcome the agreement that was reached between the Government and the Opposition in Montenegro on the standards for the referendum, in particular in respect of the 55 per cent. qualified majority needed for Montenegro to become an independent state. We commend the work of High Representative Javier Solana and his personal envoy, Miroslav Lajcak, who played a key role in helping to broker that important agreement. It is too early to say what might follow or how an independent Montenegro would develop, but its behaviour during and beyond the referendum process would naturally affect the international community's stance—