SARAJEVO, April 17 (Hina) - European Union senior representative for security and foreign affairs Javier Solana said in Sarajevo on Wednesday that the EU would take the control over the international police mission in Bosnia at the
beginning of next year.
SARAJEVO, April 17 (Hina) - European Union senior representative
for security and foreign affairs Javier Solana said in Sarajevo on
Wednesday that the EU would take the control over the international
police mission in Bosnia at the beginning of next year.#L#
Since 1996, the international police mission in Bosnia has been led
by the United Nations.
"We will take over this mission and this will be another indicator
of our readiness to help the stabilisation of the situation in
Bosnia, this time through the strengthening of the rule of law,"
Solana told reporters after meeting Bosnian senior officials and
top officials of both Bosnian entities.
In line with earlier announcements, starting January 1, 2003, the
European Union will send 470 policemen to Bosnia, who will, with the
support of about 300 members of local staff, supervise the work of
entity policemen and help them combating all sorts of crime.
Solana once again called upon Bosnian authorities to invest more
efforts in creating conditions for their country to approach the EU
as soon as possible by fulfilling previously assumed obligations.
The chairman of the Bosnian Council of Ministers, Dragan Mikerevic
said he was convinced that Bosnia would fulfil 85 percent of the
obligations in the near future and create conditions for the
preparation of a feasibility study, which should enable the signing
of a Stabilisation and Association Agreement with the European
Union, most probably during next year.
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