Banja Luka

Oral Answers to Questions — Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs – in the House of Commons at 11:30 am on 25 January 2005.

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Photo of Richard Bacon Richard Bacon Conservative, South Norfolk 11:30, 25 January 2005

If the Minister for Europe will meet the Rev. Donald Reeves to discuss the situation in Banja Luka.

Photo of Denis MacShane Denis MacShane Minister of State (Europe), Foreign & Commonwealth Office

Yes, I shall be delighted to meet the Rev. Donald Reeves, the former vicar of St. James's in Piccadilly, whose wonderful organisation, the Soul of Europe, is doing valuable work in Bosnia Herzegovina, particularly in Banja Luka.

Photo of Richard Bacon Richard Bacon Conservative, South Norfolk

I thank the Minister for agreeing to meet the Rev. Donald Reeves. Bosnia is somewhat out of the news at the moment, but important work is still going on there. Notwithstanding the difficulties that may attend the use of taxpayers' money for religious buildings overseas, will he agree that the reconstruction of the Ferhad Pasha mosque in Banja Luka is a tremendous symbol of reconciliation, and that the endorsement of the British Government, the Turkish Government and others would be of great assistance in drawing international attention to the project and ensuring its successful completion?

Photo of Denis MacShane Denis MacShane Minister of State (Europe), Foreign & Commonwealth Office

As with the reopening of the Mostar bridge, the British Government strongly welcome and support the rebuilding of the Ferhad Pasha mosque. In this 10th anniversary year of the Srebrenica massacres, when 8,000 Europeans were slaughtered in cold blood because they happened to be of the wrong religion, it is vital that we do all we can to put right—in a sense, through supporting the rebuilding of the mosque—that great evil. As far as I am concerned, the Rev. Donald Reeves has my full support. We have given money to his organisation in the past, and I am happy to examine as positively as I can any concrete proposals to continue the good work that he does.