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EU HR Solana welcomes appointment of Head of EU Police Mission for Palestinian Territories

Summary: EU HR Solana welcomes appointment of Head of EU Police Mission for Palestinian Territories (3 January 2007: Brussels)

Javier SOLANA, EU High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy, welcomes the appointment of Colin SMITH as Head of the EU Police Mission for the Palestinian Territories, code-named EUPOL COPPS. Mr Smith took up his post on 1 January, succeeding Jonathan McIvor who was the first head of the mission.

Colin SMITH has significant police experience, notably in Northern Ireland and recently in Iraq as Commander of the UK police development mission there. The High Representative pays tribute to the work of Jonathan McIVOR in setting up this innovative mission.

EUPOL COPPS was established by a decision of the EU Council on 14 November 2005. Its operational phase started on 1 January 2006. The mission, which has a long-term reform focus, aims to provide enhanced support to the Palestinian Authority in establishing sustainable and effective policing arrangements.

Together with the EU Border Assistance Mission in Rafah (EUBAM Rafah) and the substantial contribution of EU Members States to UNIFIL II in Lebanon, EUPOL COPPS is testimony to the EU's involvement in the Middle East in the field of security.

Background:
The mission, which has a three-year mandate, aims to assist in the implementation of the Palestinian Civil Police Development Plan, to advise and mentor senior members of the Palestinian Civil Police and criminal justice system and to co-ordinate EU and - where requested - international assistance to the Palestinian Civil Police. Given the outcome of the Palestinian legislative elections of early 2006 and subsequent Quartet statements, the mission has scaled down its active involvement with the Palestinian civil police but it maintains contacts at working level and monitors the upkeep of EU investments made in the past.

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This statement is attributable to Cristina Gallach, Spokesperson of HR Solana

  • Ref: CL07-002EN
  • EU source: Council
  • UN forum: 
  • Date: 3/1/2007


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See also
 

European Union Member States