EU preparing to take over NATO mission in BiH
PLA Daily 2004-02-17
BRUSSELS, Feb. 16 (Xinhuanet) -- The European Union (EU) and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) are preparing for the smooth transfer of NATO's peace-keeping mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) to the EU.
This was announced Monday by EU foreign and security chief Javier Solana and NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer after the regular monthly meeting between the North Atlantic Council (NAC), the NATO decision-making body, and the Political and Security Committee (PSC) under the EU Council.
Solana said both sides had "good discussion" on the hand-over of peace-keeping mission in BiH, and the EU will closely cooperate with NATO to ensure the success of the transfer.
Jaap de Hoop Scheffer said the hand-over will make the EU and NATO "close together," but "it is too early to decide" the specific timetable for the transfer because "homework" on the preparation has to be done "on both sides."
During the latest NAC-PSC meeting held Last month, the NATO chief said NATO would hand over the mission to the EU "before the end of this year."
An official from Solana's press office revealed Monday that Monday's meeting did not make decision on the timetable of the hand-over, neither the specific form of the EU's replacement in the BiH.
"But the issues will be decided before this summer," he added.
Last October, the informal meeting of NATO defense ministers revealed that the hand-over would take place "within 12-18 months."
Currently, there are 500 EU peace-keeping police officers in BiH, who were sent there on Jan. 1, 2003 for a term of three years.
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