SARAJEVO, June 29 (Hina) - Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina, along with the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and some other countries in the region, could form a joint military unit which would operate on the model of Eurocorpus, an
official with the Defence Ministry of the Federation of Bosnia-Herzegovina told reporters in Sarajevo on Thursday. Brigadier Sulejman Budakovic, Assistant Defence Minister in charge of defence preparations, informed reporters about the tasks which should be carried out with the aim of implementing the conclusions of the last session of the Peace Implementation Committee in Bosnia-Herzegovina, held in Brussels in May. The idea to establish a regional military unit has come from the head of the U.N. Mission in Bosnia, Jacques Klein, Budakovic said. "The Federal Republic of Yugoslavia would join this project only after democratic changes take place there," he added. According to him, Croatian President Stip
SARAJEVO, June 29 (Hina) - Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina, along
with the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and some other countries in
the region, could form a joint military unit which would operate on
the model of Eurocorpus, an official with the Defence Ministry of
the Federation of Bosnia-Herzegovina told reporters in Sarajevo on
Thursday.
Brigadier Sulejman Budakovic, Assistant Defence Minister in charge
of defence preparations, informed reporters about the tasks which
should be carried out with the aim of implementing the conclusions
of the last session of the Peace Implementation Committee in
Bosnia-Herzegovina, held in Brussels in May.
The idea to establish a regional military unit has come from the
head of the U.N. Mission in Bosnia, Jacques Klein, Budakovic said.
"The Federal Republic of Yugoslavia would join this project only
after democratic changes take place there," he added.
According to him, Croatian President Stipe Mesic had given consent
for this project but suggested that it also include other countries
in the region, such as Italy and Hungary.
"This is clearly not the establishment of some new JNA (Yugoslav
People's Army), but the application of positive experience from
other similar regions," the official said.
Activities aimed at creating legal and political preconditions for
the establishment of the first military unit on the level of Bosnia-
Herzegovina should start in coming months.
"We expect that a unit the size of a brigade would be formed next
year, after which it will join some of U.N. peace missions,"
Budakovic said.
Conclusions from the Brussels conference have confirmed the need to
establish a joint defence ministry on the level of the country,
Budakovic said.
The ministry should be established from the Standing Commission for
Military Matters, which currently has an advisory role.
After the ministry is established, preparations for forming a joint
army on the level of the country would start, Budakovic said.
"The Bosniak side believes that army should in the first phase have
10-12,000 professional soldiers. After NATO withdraws partly or
completely from Bosnia-Herzegovina, that number should be reduced
to 6-8,000 people," Budakovic said, adding the Bosnian Croat side
agreed to this as well.
Reducing the military force is a necessity since the country lacks
funds for covering the current costs, he said.
(hina) rml