The European Union on Monday expressed readiness to keep its military presence in Bosnia-Herzegovina after the completion of its operation in the country called ALTHEA, deciding to launch an advisory mission within ALTHEA to help the country develop its defence capacity.
The EU decided to keep its military presence in Bosnia because conditionsfor closing down the Office of the High Representative (OHR) in the countryhave not been met.
It was previously planned that the advisory mission for training andbuilding of the country's defence capacity, numbering some 200 people, would belaunched only after the EU's military mission was completed, but the plan hasnow been scrapped due to delays in reforms in the country, and ALTHEA has beengiven an advisory role along with its military role.
"The Council underlined the EU's commitment to supporting BiH effortsto maintain the safe and secure environment. Operation ALTHEA's executivemandate will continue in accordance with UN Security Council Resolution 1895(2009). The Council expressed the readiness of the EU, should the situationrequire, to maintain an executive military role to support these efforts beyond2010, under a UN mandate," read conclusions adopted by the EU foreignministers on Monday.
EUFOR troops in Bosnia-Herzegovina number around 2,000 members in the ALTHEAmission.
"The EU underlined its commitment to Bosnia and Herzegovina'sterritorial integrity and sovereignty in accordance with the Dayton/Paris PeaceAgreement. The Council also declared strong support for the HighRepresentative/EUSR Valentin Inzko and called on all parties in BiH to complywith all decisions taken by him and not to seek to challenge hisauthority," read the conclusions.
By doing so, the EU has sent a clear warning to Republika Srpska PrimeMinister Milorad Dodik who recently announced plans to hold a referendum onInzko's decision to extend the terms of foreign judges working inBosnia-Herzegovina.
