Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 11 Dec 1997

Vol. 485 No. 1

Written Answers. - Bosnian Conflict.

Michael Ring

Question:

30 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the Government's view on the continued presence of the stabilisation force in Bosnia after June 1998; and the Government's view on Ireland's willingness to continue to play a role in the stabilisation force. [22408/97]

Minister for Foreign Affairs (Mr. Andrews)

SFOR is performing an indispensable task in maintaining peace, deterring violence, and creating the conditions in which long-term stability can begin to take root in Bosnia and Hercegovina. In my previous capacity as Minister for Defence, I had the opportunity to visit the Irish contingent of military police serving with SFOR, and I saw at first hand the excellent contribution which they, and the other Irish pesonnel serving with the UN, ECMM and OSCE, are making to the efforts of the international community.

It is clear to me, and it is a view that is widely shared by most governments involved, that there will be a need for a continued and effective international military presence for some time to come in order to maintain and advance the cause of peace in Bosnia and Hercegovina.

This view has been reinforced by the message from the Peace Implementation Council, which met this week in Bonn. The Bonn meeting underlined the reality that implementation of the civil aspects of the Dayton Agreement must be complemented by adequate support and underpinning on the military side, continuing after June 1998, when SFOR's current mandate, under UN Security Council Resolution 1088, will come to an end.

Consideration is currently being given in NATO, which conducts the SFOR operation under the UN mandate, to possible options in this regard. Ireland, like the other non-NATO troop contributing nations in SFOR, will be briefed and consulted on continuing developments.

Ireland has committed itelf to maintain its contingent with SFOR until the end of its current UN mandate in June 1998. Were the UN Security Council to extend SFOR's mandate, or mandate a successor force, the Government would carefully consider any request for Irish participation. A decision by the Government in this matter would depend on a number of factors, including availability of resources; the terms of the mandate given by the UN Security Council to any successor force; the size and composition of the force; and the nature of the tasks which an Irish contingent would be asked to undertake. The safety and security situation would be fully taken into account in arriving at any such decision.