EU to take over Bosnia peacekeeping mission
28/06/2004 - 12:44:24NATO leaders agreed today to end their mission in Bosnia by the end of the year and turn over responsibility for peacekeeping to a European Union force.
NATO said in a communique that it had “agreed to conclude the alliance’s successful … operation in Bosnia and Herzegovina and welcomed the readiness of the European Union to deploy a new and distinct UN-mandated … mission in the country.”
The European Union has agreed to take over the 7,500-member mission, which will be the union’s most ambitious military operation to date.
NATO, which began the mission nine years ago, will maintain a presence in Bosnia to help the country with defence reforms, fight terrorism and keep up the hunt for war crimes suspects.
