SARAJEVO, Feb 20 (Hina) - The mandate of the UN Mission to Bosnia-Herzegovina ends on December 21 this year and as of January 2003 the European Union police forces will take over the Mission's most important task - the reorganisation
of the country's local police forces. UN Mission head Jacques Klein said in Sarajevo on Wednesday preparations for the transfer of authority to the newly-established EU police mission would begin this summer. The International Police Task Force (IPTF) Commissioner should take up his new office as head of the European police forces in June. The job, which so far has been performed by 1,700 members of the UN international police (IPTF) will in the future be performed by around 500 police officers from EU countries. Klein told reporters this would not represent any problem because the IPTF already included 650 police officers from the EU and some of them were on
SARAJEVO, Feb 20 (Hina) - The mandate of the UN Mission to Bosnia-
Herzegovina ends on December 21 this year and as of January 2003 the
European Union police forces will take over the Mission's most
important task - the reorganisation of the country's local police
forces.
UN Mission head Jacques Klein said in Sarajevo on Wednesday
preparations for the transfer of authority to the newly-
established EU police mission would begin this summer.
The International Police Task Force (IPTF) Commissioner should
take up his new office as head of the European police forces in
June.
The job, which so far has been performed by 1,700 members of the UN
international police (IPTF) will in the future be performed by
around 500 police officers from EU countries. Klein told reporters
this would not represent any problem because the IPTF already
included 650 police officers from the EU and some of them were on
their second mission to Bosnia.
Klein said he believed the new EU mission in Bosnia-Herzegovina
would last up to three years.
Klein considers the decision on the EU taking over the UN mission
logical because the country no longer needs classical UN peace
operations. The EU police mission will support Bosnia's efforts to
draw closer to European associations as the most important task in
the further consolidation of peace.
Since the arrival of the IPTF in Bosnia-Herzegovina in early 1996,
the number of local police was reduced from the war-time 40,000 to
around 17,000. All those who remained in the police have undergone
and are still undergoing thorough check-ups and training so that
they could perform their tasks in a fully professional manner.
UN Mission Civil Affairs head Jacques Grinberg expects the European
police will continue applying strict criteria with regard to the
control of the performance of local police.
Klein said the upcoming period would see the establishment of a
state agency for information and protection, with a staff of some
500.
Along with the 17,000 police officers and around 2,000 members of
the State Border Service, the security apparatus in Bosnia-
Herzegovina will number close to 20,000 well-trained
professionals.
(hina) rml