EUFOR Commander: New Force to Continue SFOR's Mandate

04/11/2004

The commander of the EU's future peacekeeping force in BiH held his first press conference in Sarajevo on Wednesday. He said the new force would retain SFOR's mandate and capabilities.

By Antonio Prlenda for Southeast European Times in Sarajevo – 04/11/04

EUFOR Commander Major General David Leakey holds a press conference Wednesday (3 November) at EUFOR headquarters in Sarajevo. [AFP]

The commander of the EU's future peacekeeping force in Bosnia and Herzegovina, (BiH), British Major General David Leakey, held his first press conference at Sarajevo's Camp Butmir on Wednesday (3 November). According to Leakey, the new force will retain the mandate and capabilities of the current NATO-led force, SFOR.

"There will be a seamless transition from SFOR to EUFOR and we shall build on SFOR's success," Leakey said. "EUFOR will have the same number of troops as SFOR and will have the full authority of Dayton. In practical terms, the handover from SFOR to EUFOR means that 80 per cent of SFOR troops will merely change title and put EU insignia on their shoulders."

The transition will be carried out on 2 December, when the EU begins its military operation in BiH, code-named Althea. It will replace the NATO operation, which has been responsible for implementing the military aspects of the 1996 Dayton Peace Accord, preventing further hostilities and stabilising the country.

EUFOR will have the same legal mandate SFOR did under the Dayton Agreement. According to Leakey, its main tasks will be the maintenance of peace and stability in BiH, assistance with defence reform in the country and co-operation with NATO's headquarters in BiH in locating and arresting war crimes indictees.

He emphasised, however, that the main responsibility for meeting the country's obligations to the UN war crimes tribunal lies with BiH authorities.

'The fact that our two headquarters share the same building in Butmir will ease the practical mechanics of carrying out our respective missions and will guarantee our close co-operation," said Leakey. "However, I must stress that the primary responsibility to arrest war criminals still lies with the Bosnian government authorities and law enforcement agencies."

The EUFOR commander said his staff will co-operate closely with the BiH armed forces, and will support authorities in the fight against organised crime and in boosting the return of refugees and displaced persons. The top international envoy in BiH, High Representative Paddy Ashdown, will provide political coherence among the EU military force, the EU Police Mission, the monitoring mission and community programmes to bring BiH closer to EU standards.

"This means helping BiH to transition from stabilisation to integration into the EU," Leakey said