GERMANY: European Union and NATO defence chiefs meet in Germany, discuss troop reductions in Bosnia-Herzegovina

Record ID: 166561

  • Title: GERMANY: European Union and NATO defence chiefs meet in Germany, discuss troop reductions in Bosnia-Herzegovina
  • Date: 2nd March 2007
  • Summary: (BN14) WIESBADEN, GERMANY (MARCH 1, 2007) (REUTERS) PAN FROM HOTEL WHERE EUROPEAN UNION DEFENCE MINISTERS AND NATO CHIEFS MET TO POLICE OUTSIDE MOTORCADE CARRYING EU FOREIGN POLICY CHIEF JAVIER SOLANA ARRIVING AT HOTEL CAMERAMAN FILMING (SOUNDBITE) (English) JAVIER SOLANA, EU FOREIGN POLICY (ASKED ABOUT TROOP REDUCTION IN BOSNIA AND WHETHER WORK IS DONE THERE) SAYING: "No, it's not finished, the work. But what we have done in a very intelligent manner is to analyse very well the situation. We still have some problems of political nature but not on security. That's why we have now allowed to (lower) the forces but maintain the political activity in the country." GERMAN DEFENCE MINISTER AND HOST FRANZ JOSEF JUNG TALKING TO GERMAN MILITARY OFFICIAL NATO SECRETARY GENERAL JAAP DE HOOP SCHEFFER ARRIVING AND BEING GREETED BY JUNG SIGN (SOUNDBITE) (German) JAAP DE HOOP SCHEFFER, NATO SECRETARY GENERAL SAYING: "Since the Riga summit there are 7,000 more soldiers than in November last year (in Afghanistan) and I don't think you can or should talk about an American pressure. What's done is being done, Germany in the north, other allies in the south. You also know that in an emergency there are measures to help each other out. I think we're doing relatively well now."
  • Embargoed: 17th March 2007 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Germany
  • City:
  • Country: Germany
  • Topics: International Relations,Defence / Military
  • Reuters ID: LVABMW2ANL2SSPLB3RJQX5BQC26M
  • Aspect Ratio: 4:3
  • Story Text: European Union and NATO defence chiefs have met in Germany to discuss the situation in Bosnia and agree on the number of NATO troops which the alliance will reduce. Germany, hosting a meeting of EU defence ministers on Thursday (March 1), defended the decision this week to begin winding down a European peace mission in Bosnia from 6,000 troops to 2,500 but was cautious about the timing of a complete pull-out.
    European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana told reporters ahead of the meeting "we have done in a very intelligent manner is to analyse very well the situation."
    "We still have some problems of political nature but not on security. That's why we have now allowed to (lower) the forces but maintain the political activity in the country," Solana said.
    German Defence Minister and host of the conference, Franz Josef Jung, said a joint news conference with Solana that "we all share the view that the troop reduction in Bosnia-Herzegovina will happen in a four-stage plan."
    "Following the elections there on October 1 and after there is a government there we assume the situation will be stable. However, we will keep monitoring further developments. The goal is now in a first phase to reduce the number of soldiers by 3,500."
    Solana also addressed the issue of Bosnia one day possibly joining the EU.
    "I think we will be able to help the development of Bosnia-Herzegovina and keep telling them that if they behave properly, that if they carry out the reforms that they have to do, in particular the police reform, they will have the possibility to... agreement negotiations to get closer to the European Union."
    Both Serbia and Bosnia are seen as years away from EU membership. Serbian efforts to conclude an initial partnership with the bloc have been held up by Belgrade's failure to catch key war crime suspects, while the EU is disappointed with the speed of political and police reform in divided Bosnia.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2016. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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