S078/07 Wiesbaden, Germany

OPERATIONS

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Political situation

The new government was confirmed on 9 February. However, more than 4 months after elections, there is still no Government at the Federation level and only 4 our of 10 cantons have governments.
On police reform, at the end of December, the Police Reform Directorate submitted its report to the Council of Ministers. Since the previous Government failed to act on it, it is now up to the new Council of Ministers Chair Špirić to move the process forward. Unfortunately, the talks organised by Špirić and attended by all key political leaders yielded no concrete results so far.
The Peace Implementation Council Political Directors met earlier this week in Brussels and decided to extend the OHR and the Bonn powers until mid 2008.

Operation ALTHEA

Le 27 février, le Comité politique et de sécurité (COPS) a approuvé le plan d'opération révisé de l'opération Althea qui prévoit la reconfiguration de l'EUFOR. Ainsi l'EUFOR peut commencer sa reconfiguration qui doit s'achever à la fin du mois de mai.
La situation sécuritaire en Bosnie-Herzégovine demeure stable et l'impact potentiel des développements régionaux doit, estime-t-on, rester limité et contrôlable. La décision de reconfigurer l'EUFOR a été prise dans ce contexte: l'absence de progrès dans le domaine politique n'a plus d'impact direct sur la situation sécuritaire. Les risques et incertitudes résiduelles qui demeurent à propos de la situation sécuritaire en Bosnie-Herzégovine sont prises en compte. L'EUFOR se reconfigure mais ne quitte pas la Bosnie-Herzégovine.
Permettez-moi de rappeler brièvement les principales caractéristiques de la reconfiguration de l'EUFOR. Les effectifs de l'EUFOR vont diminuer pour s'établir à 2.500 hommes. Les unités de manoeuvre - un bataillon - seront basées à Sarajevo mais l'EUFOR continuera d'être présente sur tout le territoire de la Bosnie-Herzégovine grâce aux équipes de liaison et d'observation et grâce à la capacité de déployer des troupes rapidement. L'EUFOR sera capable de répondre immédiatement si cela est nécessaire et des renforts importants seront toujours disponibles grâce aux unités placées 'au-delà de l'horizon'. Par ailleurs, pendant une période initiale de six mois, l'EUFOR conservera la capacité de rétablir ses capacités actuelles, si cela est nécessaire.

Kosovo

Political process

The EU continues to fully support UN Status Envoy Martti Ahtisaari and his efforts in conducting the political process to determine Kosovo's future.
The EU welcomes UN Status Envoy Martti Ahtisaari's intention to engage Belgrade and Pristina in a period of intensive consultations with a view to achieving further progress in a spirit of compromise on the basis of his proposals. Therefore, we continue to encourage both Belgrade and Pristina to participate actively and constructively in the status process.
Settling the status of Kosovo is about consolidating stability in the region and uncertainty is destabilising. We do not want to see the region destabilise again. A stable Kosovo is also key for a stable Serbia.
The EU has invested heavily in the Balkans, both economically and politically, and we want to find a sustainable solution to the Kosovo issue soon. When the time comes, we should support Martti Ahtissaari to present his proposal to the UN Security Council.
On the ground in Kosovo, it is encouraging to see the Kosovo leadership demonstrating its commitment to progress on standards implementation and we shall continue pressing, together with UNMIK, the Kosovo government to produce tangible results.
UNMIK remains fully in charge until UNSCR 1244 is replaced by another UNSCR, which should provide a clear mandate for the future international presence.
A viable settlement requires a UN Security Council Resolution. It must be based on functional and sustainable solutions. It must also include comprehensive and effective measures to ensure the security and the future of all communities in Kosovo.
The EU preparations for our contribution to the post-status international presence in Kosovo are well underway.
Underlining that the EU stands ready to play a significant role in the implementation of the status settlement, the Council decided on 12 February to intensify preparations for a future EU and international presence in Kosovo in coordination with other international actors.
Our EU Preparation Team for the future International Civilian Office (ICO) is working closely on the ground together with KFOR, UNMIK and the Kosovo leadership, in preparing the transition and the establishment of the ICO.

ESDP mission

EU ready to assume its responsibilities.
EU planning is on track. EU planning retains all flexibility, in order to adjust to evolving political and security situation.
Very good relations with NATO/KFOR (both in Brussels and on the ground). There is detailed, frequent and effective interaction between staff.
Work is under way for technical arrangements between the future international military presence and the future ESDP mission. These would cover the areas of borders; military support to police operations; crowd and riot control; and information and intelligence sharing.
We are looking forward to the participation of non-EU NATO member states in the ESDP mission; they are regularly informed of the planning process.
We are working closely with the UN to prepare for a seamless transition, making sure that there will be no security gaps and that UNMIK will remain efficient throughout the transition.
Deployment will already start during the transition phase, giving us the possibility of reinforcing the UN if appropriate and required. An important number of pre-identified elements of UNMIK (from EU Member states and third states contributing to the ESDP mission) will transition to the ESDP mission on the day of Transfer of Authority.

Afghanistan

The EU is planning for an ESDP police mission in Afghanistan.
It is foreseen that the mission will be launched in June 2007.
It will consist of 160 police officers deployed at central (Kabul), regional (the 5 regional police commands) and provincial levels (deployment in provinces, mostly in PRTs).
The mission will build on efforts already deployed on the ground by the international community.
A key element of the mission is in ensuring the extension of the power of the State to the provinces.
Another main objective is to achieve greater coherence by bringing together within an ESDP operation most of the international efforts in the field of police in Afghanistan.
Many non-EU States that are actively contributing to the reform of police in Afghanistan have already indicated to us that they would be willing to work within an ESDP operation. I want to thank them wholeheartedly. We are looking forward to working with them in the preparation of the Mission and its implementation.
We are also working hand in hand with the US who are engaged with their own programme for reform of the police in Afghanistan.
This complements the significant EU financial and political support to Afghanistan.
It will require close co-operation between the EU and NATO, not least because part of the envisaged EU police deployment will take place within PRTs.
This co-operation has already started in the preparatory phase and I wish to express my thanks to NATO for the support the EU planning team has already received from the NATO Secretariat and ISAF on the ground.

[Note: Other issues such as Sudan/Darfur, EU-UN cooperation and military capabilities to be discussed on 2 March]

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