Bosnia peacekeeping transfer approved

UNITED NATIONS -- The U.N. Security Council voted unanimously Monday to transfer peacekeeping duties in Bosnia from the NATO-led force to the European Union next month and called for all war crimes suspects to surrender.

The transfer will mean the withdrawal of more than 1,000 American troops serving in Bosnia as part of the NATO force. They will be replaced by EU personnel, with the biggest contingent coming from Finland.

British Maj. Gen. David Leakey, who will command the new European Union Force, known as EUFOR, said the Europeans will take over on Dec. 2.

More than 60,000 NATO-led troops from over 40 countries were deployed to Bosnia in late 1995 to enforce the peace agreement signed in Dayton, Ohio, which ended the 3 1/2 year war among the country's Serbs, Muslims and Croats. The conflict killed 260,000 people and turned 1.8 million into refugees.

Security has improved over the years, allowing the NATO-led Stabilization Force known as SFOR to decrease the number of troops to the current level of 7,000.

Leakey said his mission - the EU's biggest military operation yet - will maintain a 7,000-strong force. He said 80 percent of the current force will merely change commanders and put EU insignias on their shoulders.

Even though NATO is handing over peacekeeping duties, it will leave some units behind to help local authorities adopt defense reforms and hunt down war crimes suspects.

Monday's resolution authorizes EUFOR as the legal successor to SFOR for an initial 12-month period, charged with "the main peace stabilization role." It also authorizes a NATO headquarters in the Bosnian capital, Sarajevo, as the legal successor.

The Security Council resolution gives both military organizations the right "to take all necessary measures" to implement the Dayton agreement and defend themselves.

The council also reminded Bosnians of their commitment to cooperate with the International Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia by handing over all those indicted for war crimes and assisting its investigations.

Bosnia's two most wanted fugitive suspects are wartime leader of the Bosnian Serbs, Radovan Karadzic and his top general, Ratko Mladic, both charged with genocide and crimes against humanity.

Success story for President Bush; American troops withdrawn and a European problem now being handled by Europeans. it will leave some units behind to help local authorities adopt defense reforms and hunt down war crimes suspects.

About one hundred of these will be Americans assigned to a small NATO HQ.

"and called for all war crimes suspects to surrender."

When they get that smooth move perfected, maybe they can take a shot a (fill in the blank).

I never thought that I would admit it, but I am speechless....

What a concept; no more war, just invite them to a party that allow them to admit guilt and be judged in a foreign land.

2 posted on 11/22/2004 4:47:21 PM PST by Dalite (If PRO is the opposite of CON, What is the opposite of PROgress? Go Figure....)

3 posted on 11/22/2004 4:48:09 PM PST by Dalite (If PRO is the opposite of CON, What is the opposite of PROgress? Go Figure....)

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