Balkans visit October 2009

Fabian travelled with members of the Foreign Affairs Committee to some of the former countries of Yugoslavia in the week beginning 12th October.

They spent three days in the region as the Foreign Affairs Committee. Three MPs went. With Fabian travelled Ken Purchase (Labour Wolverhampton NE and the delegation leader was Sir John Stanley (Conservative, Tonbridge and Malling). We started in Belgrade where we met Serbian Government members, then drove to Mitrovica, the scene of terrible fighting during the Kosovo conflict and then Pristina, the capital of Europe's newest sovereign state. Afterwards they flew to Sarajevo, capital of Bosnia Herzegovina where they met Government leaders and representatives of all three ethnic groups, the Croats, the Serbs and the Muslims.

Fabian stands by the the site of the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand in Sarajevo, Croatia, the incident known to have sparked the First World War.

Fabian with President Haris Slajdzic, the Bosniak (Muslim) member of the Presidential Triumverate of Bosnia Herzegovina. The picture behind shows the historic bridge at Mostar which was destroyed in the recent Balkans wars and has now been rubuilt with support from countries involved in peacekeeping and it is now designated a World Heritage site by the United Nations.

Fabian stands with General Markus Bentler, the German Commander of KFOR, the NATO army in Kosovo. Behind thm is Ken Purchase, Labour MP for Wolverhampton NE.