Irish UN troops in Kosovo will take lead role

Irish troops in Kosovo will assume the lead role in the United Nations mission there, following the Government's formal approval of the move at yesterday's Cabinet meeting.

The Irish will lead one of five task forces in the region, taking operational responsibility for more than 3,000 troops.

The task force, which will operate under Irish command until next August, is made up of deployments from Slovakia, Sweden, Finland, Latvia and the Czech Republic. It operates in the Pristina region, covering seven municipalities with a population of around one million.

Minister for Defence Willie O'Dea said it was "a very proud day for the Defence Forces" in that it was the first time an Irish deployment had taken a lead role in an international mission.

"As a framework nation, the reputation and profile of Ireland's Defence Forces will be greatly enhanced nationally and internationally, and I am extremely pleased to have secured Government approval today for this major advancement in our operations in Kosovo," Mr O'Dea said. Up to 80 additional Irish troops would be deployed to Kosovo, he added.

There are currently 213 Irish troops in Kosovo, operating there since August 1999 under a UN-approved Nato force.

Mr O'Dea said while the international deployment in Kosovo had resulted in the UN getting "a grip on the political situation", the current situation was classified as "calm but fragile".

Currently the UN interim administration mission in Kosovo is working with the provisional institutions of self-government to introduce models on governance based broadly on European standards.

Meanwhile, the Labour Party last night called for clarity on the role Irish troops will fill when they travel to Lebanon in November. Defence spokesman Joe Costello questioned whether sending troops to provide security for a Finnish reconstruction deployment represented the best use of Irish resources. Acting as "bodyguards for soldiers from another country" appears "somewhat inappropriate", he said.

The Irish Government is in talks with the Finns to deploy up to 150 Irish troops to Lebanon.

Mr O'Dea has previously said the Irish contingent would provide security and protection to Finnish soldiers travelling to Lebanon to help rebuild parts of the country damaged in the recent conflict with Israel.