Summary: Javier SOLANA, EU High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy, to sign Agreement with Morocco on participation in Operation ALTHEA 1 February 2005, 15.30 (Brussels)
Javier SOLANA, EU High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP), will sign an Agreement with the Moroccan Ambassador Menouar ALEM on the participation of Morocco in Operation ALTHEA in Bosnia and Herzegovina on Tuesday 1 February 2005.
Operation ALTHEA is the first EU military operation in which Morocco is participating. It will contribute with a significant contingent comprised of 130 troops. Morocco is the only North African country and member of the Barcelona process to participate in Operation ALTHEA. It already participated in SFOR, from which ALTHEA took over in December.
___________
On 25 November, the EU Council adopted the decision to launch Operation Althea in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH). This decision follows the unanimous adoption on 22 November of UN Security Council Resolution 1575 and enabled the EU to launch Operation Althea on 2 December. NATO decided to conclude its SFOR operation by the end of 2004.
Operation Althea is the largest in size ever launched by the EU, with 7,000 troops from 22 EU Member States and 11 third countries. It adds in a significant way to the EU's political engagement, its assistance programmes and its ongoing police and monitoring missions with a view to helping BiH make further progress towards European integration in the context of the Stabilisation and Association Process.
The EU force (EUFOR) has the main peace stabilisation role under the military aspects of the Paris/Dayton General Framework Agreement for Peace in BiH. The force also provides support, within means and capabilities, to the efforts of High Representative Paddy Ashdown and of the international community, in fields such as the fight against organised crime and the implementation of the civilian aspects of the Peace Agreement.
General Sir John Reith, Deputy SACEUR, has been appointed Operation Commander. Major-General David Leakey has been appointed EUFOR Force Commander.
More information is available on the Council web site:
http://ue.eu.int under "ESDP Operations".
| Top |
European Union Member States
Alerts by email
Email this page
Print this page