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NATO to End Operation Allied Harmony in Macedonia

(Cites "considerable progress" achieved in restoring stability) (500)
NATO has announced that as of March 31 it will end Operation Allied
Harmony in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, as the European
Union commences a successor operation in that country.
The NATO mission provided an international military presence to
support monitoring groups and protect against destabilization. It was
established at the request of Macedonian authorities and is being
terminated with their full agreement.
NATO remains "fully committed" to helping Macedonia become fully
integrated in Euro-Atlantic structures and will maintain a Senior
Civilian Representative and a Senior Military Representative in
Skopje, according to the following press release:
(begin text)
NATO Press Release (2003)025
17 March 2003
STATEMENT BY NATO SECRETARY GENERAL, LORD ROBERTSON
Today, the North Atlantic Council has decided to terminate Operation
Allied Harmony in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (1) as of
31 March with a view to the EU commencing a successor operation. The
handover has the full agreement of the authorities in Skopje, and
demonstrates the considerable progress achieved during Allied Harmony
and the previous operation Task Force Fox in restoring stability.
NATO will remain fully committed to helping the former Yugoslav
Republic of Macedonia to become fully integrated in Euro-Atlantic
structures, and will continue to work for peace and stability in the
Balkans. To that end NATO will maintain a Senior Civilian
Representative and a Senior Military Representative in Skopje, who
will continue to assist the authorities in the development of security
sector reform and adaptation to NATO standards.
This decision also marks an important milestone in the development of
the NATO-EU strategic partnership. The full set of agreements for
ready access by the EU to the collective assets and capabilities of
NATO for EU-led operations (the so-called "Berlin Plus" arrangements)
was key for the European Union to be able to take over NATO's mission
in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. Under these
arrangements, NATO is able to support EU-led operations in which the
Alliance as a whole is not engaged militarily. The force commander of
the EU-led operation will be co-located in Skopje with the NATO Senior
Military Representative.
The "Berlin Plus" arrangements, which have now been finalised, are in
line with decisions taken at the 1999 NATO Washington Summit, and are
consistent with decisions taken since then by NATO and the EU. Deputy
SACEUR will be the operation commander of the EU-led operation and in
this way will play a pivotal role between the EU and NATO.
NATO-EU cooperation in the Western Balkans goes back to the mid-1990s.
The new crisis management arrangements now being put into practice in
the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia are founded on both
organisations' determination to enhance mutual consultations,
dialogue, cooperation and transparency, in due regard for the
decision-making autonomy and interests of each.
(1) Turkey recognises the Republic of Macedonia under its
constitutional name.
(end text)
(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S.
Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)