EU TO STEP UP ITS ENGAGEMENT IN BOSNIA

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (October 15,2008) - The European Union High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy Javier Solana said in an interview for the Bosnian daily Dnevni List yesterday that the European Union will step up its engagement in Bosnia.

DNEVNI LIST: The EU Ministers of Defence aggree that EUFOR military mission is to be transformed into civilian mission.What that "civilian" mission means and when we could expect it?

SOLANA: We are permanently assessing the situation on the ground and we are looking at possible options for our future presence.At this moment,no decision has been taken.Deauville was an informal meeting,where we had a very good discussion with the EU Defence Ministers on the issue.This process will continue in the coming weeks.We will adapt our engagement to the requirements.

DNEVNI LIST: By Mr Solana opinion,is Bosnia stable,sustainable country because the transformation (leaving) of military mission could mean something like that?

SOLANA: Despite the challenging political environment in Bosnia,the security situation remains calm and stable.Any decision on EUFOR will be taken on the basis of real needs,the security situation and in the context of wider political developments.

DNEVNI LIST: After EUFOR (military mission),civilian mission will also leave soon or after.Does EU have "exit strategy" and what are the main points that EU has to initiate and that Bosnia has to do itself?

SOLANA: The EU remains fully committed to Bosnia and we will continue to be engaged in Bosnia.The EU is currently looking for ways of stepping up our engagement for Bosnia's EU perspective.The signature of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement is a clear manifestation of this.Transition of the Office of the International Community's High Representative in Bosnia (OHR) to a reinforced EU Special Representative will also underline this EU engagement.No decisions have been taken on the future of our two operations/missions.The ministers will continue to discuss how best the EU can continue to be engaged in Bosnia.
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EU TROOPS RAID HOUSE OF SERBIAN WAR CRIMINAL RADOVAN KARADZIC'S WIFE

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (16 July,2008) - EU peacekeeping troops have raided the apartment of Ljiljana Karadzic, the wife of former leader of the Serbians living in Bosnia,Serbian war criminal Radovan Karadzic who is charged by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) with genocide and other war crimes committed during the 1992-1995 Serbian aggression against Bosnia Radovan Karadzic.

The raid was carried out on Tuesday early morning at 0530 CEST (0330 GMT), in the Bosnian town of Pale some 18 kilometres east of the Bosnian capital Sarajevo.

The search, carried out by the European Union Force in Bosnia (EUFOR) was ordered by the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, ICTY.

During the raid, EUFOR seized documents and materials as clues in revealing the whereabouts of Serbian war criminal Radovan Karadzic, EUFOR said in its statement, saying it will continue to search for war crimes suspects until they all face justice.
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EUFOR HANDS OVER RESPONSIBILTY FOR WEAPON STORAGE SITES TO BOSNIAN ARMY

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (March 8,2008) – The Commander of the Bosnian Armed Forces General Sifet Podzic and the Commander of the European Union Force in Bosnia (EUFOR),General Ignacio Villalaín attended a ceremony at Rajlovac Barracks of handing over the responsibility of Weapon Storage Sites from EUFOR to the Bosnian Army.The Bosnian Minister of Defence, Selmo Cikotic also attended the ceremony.A Letter of Understanding was signed by both the EUFOR Commander and the Commander of the Bosnian Army.

General Villalain stated that this event marks another step forward in successful implementation of the Bosnian defence reform.

He added that EUFOR Verification Unit and Internal Team for Bosnian Armed Forces’ Inspection Team conducted a program of joint inspections of weapons storages from September 2007.

General Villalain stated that the joint inspections conducted all the activities professionally and that all the results have been stored to a database which is available for public.

He emphasized that the Bosnian Army gained the International Community’s respect and added that the EUFOR is now able to transfer a significant part of jurisdiction onto them.

General Podzic said that he hopes that the Bosnian Army will soon take over jurisdiction over other sectors in order to create conditions to “say goodbye to our EUFOR friends and ask them to visit Bosnia as tourists”.

The Bosnian Deputy Defence Minister Igor Crnadak stated that the event is of an enormous significance for Bosnia, for it is a proof that the defence reform has been implemented successfully.

This week, EUFOR and the Bosnian Armed Forces were conducting joint military training at Comanche military base, near the eastern bosnian city of Tuzla.The Hungarian Company and a Platoon of the Bosnian Army soldiers have been learning to work together on operations that include Crowd Riot Control techniques and the rapid extraction of personnel from buildings under threat.

This training is seen to be very significant for both the EUFOR and the Bosnian Army. Earlier in January the Bosnian Armed Forces stated that 2008 would be a year of training and the results of this statement are now being seen.

This exercise tested the capability of both EUFOR and the Bosnian Army.The personnel involved were mainly infantry based and the training enhanced their operational capabilities,the EUFOR stated.
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IRISH DEFENCE MINISTER WILLIE O'DEA TO VISIT BOSNIA NEXT WEEK

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (February 27,2008) – The Irish Defence Minister Willie O'Dea is to make a three-day visit to Irish troops in Bosnia next week.

More than 40 Irish personnel are stationed in Bosnia as staff officers or as part of the military police and weapons-verification teams. Ireland has participated in the EU-led mission in the region since 1997.

Minister O'Dea and his officials will hold meetings with international military and diplomatic figures. He is also expected to be briefed on the security situation in relation to Irish troops.
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EUFOR: SECURITY SITUATION IN BOSNIA REMAINS STABLE

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (February 19,2008) – After the Kosovo independence declaration, the security situation in Bosnia remains stable, the European Union Force in Bosnia (EUFOR) Spokesperson David Fielder stated.

He said that EUFOR will keep monitoring the situation and will react in cases when necessary.

”We always have action plans for every situation. Currently, the security situation in Bosnia is stable”, Fiedler emphasized.
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BOSNIAN DEFENCE OFFICIALS MET WITH EUFOR COMMANDER

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (February 18,2008) - The Bosnian Minister of Defence, Selmo Cikotic and the Commander of the Bosnian Army General Sifet Podzic, visited the European Union Force in Bosnia (EUFOR) Headquarters to attend a meeting with the EUFOR Commander,General Ignacio Villalaín.

During this time they discussed a number of issues regarding the progress made in the transferring of military responsibilities from EUFOR to the Bosnian Army.

Specifically the recent success of the countermining activity was reviewed. Also raised was the issue of weapons and ammunition storage sites.EUFOR and the the Bosnian Army have been conducting joint activities in the process of verification and significant progress has been made recently.

The storage of both weapons and ammunition in Bosnia has caused concerns in the past, but the work that continues in these areas by both EUFOR and the Bosnian Armed Forces will ensure that a safe and secure environment will exist.

The EUFOR Commander has recently visited an ammunition storage site to personally view the methods of the verification teams. He was very pleased with the work and passed on this view during the meeting with Minister Cikotic and General Podzic.

The meeting concluded with a discussion over joint training activities between EUFOR and the Bosnian Army.2008 has been described as a “year of training” for the Bosnian Armed Forces and this meeting has helped in the arrangement of more advanced training plans in support of this objective, EUFOR said.
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EUFOR HANDS OVER MILITARY MOVEMENT CONTROL TO BOSNIAN ARMY

DOBOJ, Bosnia (January 28,2008) - The Commander of the European Union Force in Bosnia (EUFOR), Major General Ignacio Villalaín, the Bosnian Deputy Minister of Defence, Marina Pendes and the Commander of the Bosnian Armed Forces General Sifet Podzic attended at a ceremony at the Bosnian Armed Forces Barracks in Doboj.

The purpose of this ceremony was to formally hand over the responsibility of military movement control from the EUFOR to the Bosnian Armed Forces.A Memorandum of Understanding was signed by both the commander of the EUFOR and the commander of the Bosnian Army.

This allows the Bosnian Armed Forces to take complete control of the military movements of personnel, weapons, and equipment in Bosnia.This makes a hugely significant step in the ongoing Bosnian defence reform process that began in 1995 after the Dayton Peace Accord was signed, the EUFOR said.

The Bosnian Armed Forces continue to play an important role in the integration of the country into the EU and the NATO and these models show the success that can be achieved when the will exists.