Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 12 February 2004
17 Mr. Timmins asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on the recent Amnesty International report, Bosnia Herzegovina — Shelving Justice, War Crimes Prosecutions in Paralysis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4299/04]
Amharc ar fhreagraOn 12 November 2003 Amnesty International released a report entitled Bosnia and Herzegovina, Shelving Justice — War Crimes Prosecutions in Paralysis. The report outlines Amnesty's concern that insufficient action is being taken to address fully the legacy of war crimes in Bosnia. It makes a series of recommendations to the international community, and to the Governments of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, and Serbia and Montenegro.
I fully share the view that it is essential for the future of Bosnia that those responsible for the appalling crimes committed against the people of the country in the conflict of the 1990s should be brought to justice. The EU strongly supports the priority given by the High Representative in Bosnia, Lord Ashdown, to the establishment of an effective and independent judicial system. In full co-operation with the governmental authorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina, detailed work is being pursued on the reform of the judiciary and of the prosecution service. A war crimes chamber has recently been established in the state court to enable the handling in Bosnia of trials for war crimes committed in Bosnia. This is an important development for reconciliation in Bosnia and for the process of building functioning state institutions. However, it will only succeed on the basis of sufficient support from the international community.
At a donor conference in The Hague on 30 October 2003, funds were pledged to secure the first two years work of the war crimes chamber. As an expression of Ireland's support, the Government has contributed €200,000 for the period, in addition to our existing contribution to the work of the high representative in this area.
The issue of policing and police training is also important. The EU police mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina has been working with the Bosnian police since its launch last year to establish sustainable policing arrangements in accordance with European and international best practice. Three members of the Garda are serving with the mission.
While progress has been made in the consolidation of the rule of law and in prosecuting war criminals, the situation remains unsatisfactory. Co-operation with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia remains poor, particularly on the part of the Serb entity in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Republika Srpska. Indicted war criminals including Radovan Karadzic and Ratko Mladic are still at large. The EU is co-operating with the high representative to isolate the support networks which have enabled indictees to escape justice. It remains an essential element of EU policy that progress in the development of relations with the countries of the region requires their full and unequivocal co-operation with the tribunal in the Hague.
The people of Bosnia endured appalling suffering during the conflict which followed the break up of the former Yugoslavia. At the EU-Western Balkans Summit in Thessaloniki last June, we agreed that the future of the countries of the region lies in their eventual integration into EU structures. Bosnia is making progress in its reform process towards this objective. The Commission feasibility study, published in November 2003, identified 16 major areas of reform on which further progress is needed with a view to a possible decision at the end of 2004 on the opening of negotiations for a stabilisation and association agreement. I look forward to meeting the Foreign Minister of Bosnia in Dublin at the end of March and to discussing with him the role that Ireland can play as EU Presidency to assist in the building of a society based on respect for human rights and the rule of law.
