Brussels / Rome, 05/01/2001 (Agence Europe) - On 9 January, the European Union's Interim Political and Security Committee (COPSi) will discuss the "Balkans Syndrome" - serious health problems affecting military personnel from several Member States having participated in peacekeeping operations in former Yugoslavia since 1992, problems that have led to the many deaths and that have been attributed to the use of depleted uranium in some of these operations.
Following the initiative of Belgian Defence Minister Andre Flahaut who had asked the Swedish Presidency of the Council to deal with the affair at EU level (see EUROPE of 30 December, p.4), Swedish Defence Minister Bjorn von Sydow declared: "It is important that we act. I welcome a discussion about the Belgian proposal to set up a medical working group within the EU" that would look at these issues. Such a group should comprise surgeon generals from the EU member countries, said Mr. von Sydow.
In addition, the Swdish Defence Minister stipulated that: - the Swedish Ambassador to NATO, Anders Oljelund, has been instructed to consult with the Atlantic Alliance; - the Swedish Presidency will be in close contact with the European Commission regarding future developments of this issue.
Asked about what Romano Prodi had had to say on this subject on Friday, having stressed the EU's responsibilities towards the Balkans (see yesterday's EUROPE, p.3), the European Commission's spokesman stipulated that these were political statements, that needed no "legal basis" to be uttered. Should it transpire that the use of depleted uranium in the Balkans had carcinogenic effects, the Commission as a whole would have the same stance as its President, said the spokesman, stressing that the Commission was "well installed in the Balkans", where it was also striving at protecting the environment. In addition, he recalled that, regarding protection against radiation, the Commission may ask the opinion of the Scientific and Technical Committee, under Article 31 of the Euratom Treaty.
On Friday, in an interview with the daily La Repubblica, questioned about the information Italy had requested of the Atlantic Alliance, Admiral Guido Venturoni, Chairman of NATO's Military Committee, stated: "Obviously, NATO will reply". At the same time, he added that "it will take time to reconstruct all our flight sorties and the geographic places involved, check the reports on flights and munitions used". (Information on the use of depleted uranium in Kosovo is easier to gather than that on Bosnia, as there has already been a UN investigation: Ed.). Having said that, Admiral Venturoni noted that "for the wherefore of these deaths, we shall have to learn that from the doctors", and that all the scientific literature and "analyses conducted by NATO and by its members say only one thing: depleted uranium munitions present no different risks to others".
As for Andre Flahaut, he told the Belga press agency; "should it transpire, after scientific tests, that there is a link between the use of these weapons and the syndromes from which soldiers are suffering, we shall, politically, have to take a stance on their use".