Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2004-11-16-Speech-2-040"
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"en.20041116.8.2-040"2
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".
Mr President, the European Security and Defence Policy is on the brink of a historic step. The EU's first military crisis management operation, Operation ALTHEA, will start on 2 December. In the development of the ESDP, we have made great progress from concepts and capabilities to concrete actions. Like the first EU police mission, the first military operation will take place in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The right political will and popular support by the Bosnians, combined with our comprehensive role, could and should lead Bosnia away from conflict into a stable and peaceful future, a future in which our special representative Lord Ashdown will play an ever more important role.
Let me conclude by saying that Bosnia and Herzegovina is on the right track. Stability and security are increasing and, with its integration into Euro-Atlantic structures, the country is moving more and more from the area of Dayton to the area of Brussels.
However, much remains to be done, because we are still concerned about the lack of cooperation with ICTY, particularly in the case of the Republika Srpska. ICTY cooperation is an important criterion for closer relations with the EU and NATO. Here Bosnia and Herzegovina will have to deliver. I hope the reforms of the defence and police apparatus, one of the key tasks of ALTHEA, will also bear fruit in that field. In that way operation ALTHEA will bring even more benefit to the people of Bosnia and Herzegovina in their quest for a durable and just peace.
The preparations for the deployment of Operation ALTHEA after SFOR leaves Bosnia and Herzegovina are well advanced. An operational concept has been approved, force generation has taken place, and 11 third countries have been invited to contribute to the operation. A committee of contributors has had its first meeting and the operations plan has been approved by the Council.
Operation ALTHEA will be an EU-led operation, with the use of NATO assets and capabilities. Therefore, the Deputy SACEUR was appointed operation commander in early July. The operation's HQ has been established in Mons. In early October the force headquarters in Sarajevo reached initial operational capability with a view to reaching full operational capability by early December, when authority is transferred from SFOR.
People might consider the transfer of the operation from SFOR to the EU a big and risky step. They might have doubts about the capabilities of the EU mission. However they are wrong, if only because 80% of the SFOR forces have transferred to ALTHEA, while the departing 20%, which are US forces, will be replaced by additional European forces. All the EU Member States currently contributing to SFOR will continue their contributions in ALTHEA. However, ALTHEA is not just an EU operation. Third countries like Morocco, Bulgaria, Romania, Norway and Turkey will participate as well. I am very pleased about their participation, because it shows that it is not just the EU that cares about Bosnia and Herzegovina. As members of the committee of contributors, these countries will have the same rights and obligations as the EU Member States taking part in the operation in terms of its day-to-day management.
No effort has been spared in ensuring a smooth transition from NATO to the EU and that includes the delineation of tasks between ALTHEA and the remaining NATO headquarters in Sarajevo, arrangements on the availability and use of reserve forces and on the sharing of intelligence. The EURFOR commanding officer and the commander of the remaining NATO headquarters will be based at the same camp, ensuring operational coordination.
NATO itself also remains present in Bosnia and Herzegovina. We therefore have a NATO strategic reserve for support in emergencies. This can be used for both NATO and Operation ALTHEA. This is a good example of the pragmatic and efficient use of limited resources. It also emphasises the good cooperation between the EU and NATO. With the transition from NATO to the EU, the last phase of military presence will start. The accent will no longer be on the prevention of inter-ethnic fighting but on assisting civil and military reforms. After that, a military presence can be withdrawn.
With ALTHEA, we are contributing to the security and stability of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which is important to the reforms in that country. At the same time, operation ALTHEA is – dare I say – the final element in a comprehensive European Union policy towards Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is also part of our broader strategy for the Balkans. The combined activities in the political, economic development and security fields mutually reinforce each other. The situation in the country has a direct impact on the region and on the EU. We therefore have a clear interest in its stability and prosperous development. EU involvement is not only in its interests but also in our own and, given our comprehensive and coherent approach, it is only logical that the EU has taken over the NATO operation.
The ultimate objective is to put Bosnia on track towards the EU and this will be achieved through the strengthened stabilisation and association process. The EU military mission, together with other EU activities such as the EU police mission, the EU monitoring mission and the CARDS development programme, will complement that process
A comprehensive approach reflects our belief that the future of Bosnia lies firmly in Europe. It exemplifies our long-term commitment. It is now up to the Bosnian people to make the vision come true. They will eventually have to decide whether to join the European political and economic union. Such a choice requires fundamental reforms of state, economic and judicial structures. Equally, they will have to confirm the decision to join the European community of values. Such a decision requires an environment of tolerance, dialogue, respect for religious freedoms and a tough stance in words and deeds against the impunity of war criminals."@en1
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