John Browne
Ceist:7 Mr. Browne (Carlow-Kilkenny) asked the Minister for Defence if he will report on his recent visit to Bosnia; and if he envisages an increase in the numbers serving there. [15180/97]
Other Questions. - Ministerial Visit to Bosnia.
I visited Irish troops serving with the Multinational Stabilisation Forces, SFOR, in Bosnia and Herzegovina during the period 22 to 24 September l997. While in the region I met members of the Defence Forces serving with the EC Monitor Mission to the Former Yugoslavia, ECMM, the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in European, OSCE, and members of the Garda Síochána serving with the UN International Police Task Force.
The primary purpose of my visit was to see at first hand the work of Irish military personnel serving in the region and to convey to them, on behalf of the Government and our people, the deep appreciation felt regarding the outstanding manner in which they continue to perform their duties on overseas service. Not for the first time, I was extremely impressed and proud of the professionalism of the Irish personnel serving abroad as well as the effectiveness of the various missions.
During my visit I met a number of prominent military people, including General Eric Shinseki, the commanding officer of SFOR, who deeply appreciate Ireland's contribution to the force. Throughout my visit I heard consistent praise for the Irish military personnel and a desire that they should continue in service in Bosnia. I was very heartened by these many positive comments.
On l4 May l997 Dáil Éireann approved the despatch of a contingent of the Defence Forces for service with SFOR. The first contingent of Irish personnel was deployed to the mission area on l July l997 and is due to rotate in January l998. The contingent strength is 50 personnel based in Sarajevo, comprising a National Support Element, Military Police Company Headquarters and a Military Police Platoon. In addition a lieutenant-colonel acts as Irish liaison officer to the SFOR co-ordination centre at Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers in Europe, SHAPE, Mons, Belgium. I pay tribute to Lieutenant-Colonel Mark O'Brien, the commanding officer, on his wonderful organisational abilities, having regard to the fact that he was there for the first time. He organised his own group of people very quickly and efficiently. I express my appreciation for his courtesy and the manner of his organisation on my visit.
I regard Irish participation in SFOR as an important and practical expression of our ongoing commitment to peacekeeping in general and to the cause of peace and stability in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Furthermore, it responds to the foreign policy priority of staying in the mainstream of peacekeeping at a time when the UN is increasingly turning to regional solutions for peacekeeping.
There are currently nine Irish military personnel serving with the EC Monitor Mission to the Former Yugoslavia and six serving with the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina. I do not envisage any increase in the number of Irish military personnel currently serving in Bosnia nor has any request to that effect been received.
I too appreciate the work being done by Irish Defence personnel in Bosnia in what originally were very difficult and still are very demanding circumstances. Does the Minister envisage that our forces will participate in similar missions in the future under the type of operation and control SFOR is under in Bosnia?
This group of military personnel under the leadership of Lieutenant-Colonel O'Brien operates under a United Nations resolution. General Shinseki is the commanding officer of SFOR under NATO. As long as we operate within the United Nations, OSCE and the EU I see no problems, but my vision for our Defence Forces, our military, in particular, is in respect of their functions at home. They are there to aid the civil power and as long as the wretched BSE crisis continues they will continue to have to serve on the Border, but when that is over and now that peace has arrived we will have to address a different scenario. I would like the future of our Defence Forces to be seen in the area of peacekeeping under the organisations I mentioned. We have a major contribution to make in the area of peacekeeping. When I previously held office I set up a United Nations school in the Curragh which has been an outstanding success and many countries have participated in it. We should make our name in the areas of vision and leadership where peacekeeping is required because our practice, traditions and ethos is directed and focused in that area.
Peacekeeping has an incredibly important role to play in development work and in developing democracy. I agree our Defence Forces can play a crucial role. As the role of armies evolves as we near the 21st century this will be a critical element of it and an important one for our Defence Forces. The UN is changing in the way it handles peacekeeping and is increasingly contracting out peacekeeping tasks to a variety of organisations some of which the Minister mentioned. If the UN contracts out such tasks and our officers and other Defence Forces personnel are asked to participate in Partnership for Peace initiatives what will be the Minister's response?
As long as the resolution is United Nations based, OSCE based or EU based I will be happy to treat each application on its merits in the circumstances of the peacekeeping mission required.
Is that a slightly different view from that expressed by the Minister for Foreign Affairs recently in relation to our participation in projects or missions under the Partnership for Peace?
I have read the Minister's statement carefully and there is no difference. I see Partnership for Peace as a surrogate NATO and I do not have much regard for it. The Deputy can take it from me that so far as the Defence Forces are concerned their involvement in Partnership for Peace is not a tenable proposition.
If we were supporting a United Nations resolution and the Irish Army was asked to become involved would the Minister's view be the same?
I have my suspicions about Partnership for Peace and I am not happy about it. That is an opinion I share with the Minister for Foreign Affairs.