Brussels, 18/03/2003 (Agence Europe) - The External Relations Council has formally decided that the EU will take over the NATO military mission (Allied Harmony) in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) on 31 March for six months. This decision was finally possible thanks to two events: - NATO's decision to put an end to its mission in FYROM on 31 March (see following page), and the finalisation of the "permanent arrangements" between the EU and NATO, allowing the EU to henceforth use Alliance assets and capabilities for European military operations (see EUROPE of 12 March, p.4, and 15 March, p.6, on the "Berlin+" agreement). According to some sources, a French unit has been on the ground for the past week in order to prepare the arrival of the EU mission (EUROPE recalls that France is the nation that is to provide the framework for the mission). One formality remains to be concluded: an agreement with the FYROM government.
In addition to launching the mission, the Council also adopted a decision on the third countries invited to take part: Poland, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovenia, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Bulgaria, Romania, Norway, Iceland, Turkey and Canada. Like the EU Member States (except Denmark which does not take part in military operations), these countries will have to contribute to the common budget of the mission (some EUR 4.7 million) and finance their troops on the ground themselves. The EU mission will be composed of 320 military and civilian staff.
EUROPE recalls that the commander in chief of operations is NATO's D-SACEUR, Admiral Feist, while the commander for operations on the ground is Brigadier General Pierre Maral.
FYROM: NATO operation ends 31 March- Lord Robertson's comments
At a meeting on 17 March, NATO's permanent council (ambassadors) decided that its Allied Harmony mission in the former Yugoslav republic of Macedonia would end on 31 March, on which date authority will be transferred to the European Union. In a statement, the Secretary General of NATO, Lord Robertson, declared: "this take-over is entirely sanctioned by the Skopje authorities and shows the considerable progress made during operation Allied Harmony and operation Task Force Fox before it, in restoring stability" in the country. Lord Robertson stated that the Alliance "would maintain a Civil High Representative and a Military High Representative in Skopje, who would continue to assist the authorities in making progress in reform of the security sector, and adapting to NATO standards".
He also stressed: "This decision, furthermore, marks an important stage in the development of the NATO-EU strategic partnership. All these agreements aiming to guarantee the EU ease of access to NATO's means and capability for EU-led operations (also known as Berlin+ agreements) have been vital in allowing the EU to take over this mission (…) By virtue of these arrangements, NATO has been able to support the EU-led operations in which the Alliance as a whole has no military commitments. The leadership of the force assigned under the EU-led operation will be based in Skopje with NATO's Military High Representative (…) The Deputy SACEUR will be the operational commander of the EU-led operation, and will thus provide the link between the EU and NATO. NATO-EU co-operation in the western Balkans goes back to the mid 1990s. The new provisions for crisis management currently in place in the former Yugoslav republic of Macedonia are based on both organisations' determination to strengthen mutual consultation, dialogue, co-operation and transparency, whilst fully respecting the autonomy of decision-making and the interests of each".