ZAGREB, Dec 4 (Hina) - The motion that members of the Croatian Armed Forces should participate in the peace mission in Afghanistan (ISAF) divided MPs during a session Wednesday night.
ZAGREB, Dec 4 (Hina) - The motion that members of the Croatian Armed
Forces should participate in the peace mission in Afghanistan
(ISAF) divided MPs during a session Wednesday night. #L#
The opposition warned that Afghanistan was not stable, it had more
than 12 million mines left over and terrorist groups were still
active.
MPs requested that before soldiers were sent to the mission, a law
be passed which would regulate their status, rights and insurance.
Tonci Tadic of the Croatian Party of Rights (HSP) asked whether
Croatia had to pay for entry into NATO with the lives of soldiers.
Croatian soldiers are being sent into a war operation, not a peace
mission, said Krunoslav Gasparic of the Croatian Bloc (HB), adding
that this was being done without any clear guarantees that the years
their military service, insurance policy and status as military
invalid of war, if wounded, would be recognised.
Ivan Ninic of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) replied that the
three million US dollars which have been set aside from the budget
for the mission also envisaged 20,000 kuna (approx. 2.7 euros) for
the insurance of every soldier.
The participation of Croatian soldiers in international peace
operations are a contribution to the establishment of global peace
and stability, and the strengthening of international military
cooperation, said Ninic.
Ivo Skrabalo of the Libra party said that the mission in Afghanistan
was an excellent opportunity to draw closer to NATO and to raise the
level of Croatia's equipment.
The mission in Afghanistan is very important because it presents
Croatia as a dependable partner which can reply to increasing
security challenges, while Croatia is confirming its option for
goals of the anti-terrorist coalition, Stjepan Zivkovic of the
Croatian Peasants Party (HSS) said.
Deputy Defence Minister Zlatko Gareljic said it was incorrect that
this was a war operation, but did confirm it was a mission with a
high degree of risk. The goal of the mission is to establish
security structures and reconstruct the war-torn country, but it
also has a humanitarian character, he said.
The ISAF mission, in which Croatia intends to participate with a
Military Police platoon of 44 soldiers, consists of about 4,800
soldiers from 23 countries. The mission is taking place in Kabul and
the surrounding area, Gareljic said.
The parliament will take a vote on sending Croatian soldiers to
Afghanistan in the next several days, as the 26th session
continues.
(hina) lml sb