Oireachtas

Irish troops to operate under NATO leadership in Bosnia

IRELAND will operate for the first time under a NATO led command when 50 soldiers of all ranks participate in a United Nations…

By MICHAEL O'REGAN and MARIE O'HALLORAN
Thu May 15 1997 - 01:00

IRELAND will operate for the first time under a NATO led command when 50 soldiers of all ranks participate in a United Nations operation in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Dail was told.

The House approved a motion allowing the Irish forces to become part of the UN authorised multinational Stabilisation Force (SFOR).

The Tanaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Spring, opening the debate, said: "Irish participation in SFOR is entirely in keeping with our foreign policy traditions and objectives." Ireland can and must play its full part in helping to ensure peace in Bosnia he said.

Irish troops will form a military police contingent at SFOR headquarters in Sarajevo. The Irish contingent will be part of an international military police (MP) company. Sixteen personnel will be involved in an MP company, there will be an MP platoon of 27 and a national support element of six soldiers. There would also be a lieutenant colonel as the Irish contingent commander.

READ MORE

However, the Progressive Democrats' foreign affairs spokesman, Mr Dessie O'Malley, sharply criticised SFOR and expressed his dissatisfaction that Irish troops were taking part in a force that had failed to carry out its mandate.

"SFOR forces have been able to do little or nothing to restore refugees to their home places," he said. "It has simply propped up the partition of Bosnia and kept temporary and very uneasy peace. It has done nothing to vindicate human rights, it has done nothing to bring to book those who have been accused of genocide.

"I'm disappointed, therefore, that Irish troops are joining a force that is not doing its job, is not carrying out its duties, but, nonetheless, I don't underestimate the significance and symbolism of what's happening today," he said.

"I hope also that the passage of this motion today will put behind us in this country a lot of the nonsense and hypocrisy that we've had to endure in regard to NATO and to so called neutrality."

However, the Minister of State for European Affairs, Mr Gay Mitchell, said participation in SFOR and the new Partnership for Peace did not compromise Ireland's traditional neutrality.

"The Partnership for Peace is a cooperative security framework. It does not entail membership of NATO and it is important to emphasise that participation in PEP entails no treaty obligations of any kind. Partnership for Peace is fully compatible with our policy of political neutrality."

The Minister for Social Welfare, Mr De Rossa, backed the operation and said the decision to support Irish participation in SFOR is not one taken lightly, particularly by a party of the Left".

"The Democratic Left leader added: "While this will be the first time that Ireland operates under a NATO led command delegated by the United Nations, it is noteworthy that 17 other non NATO nations, including other neutral and nonaligned countries, are participating.

"It is important that the SFOR to assist the people of Bosnia does not run in isolation but complements the detailed programme of political, civilian and economic reconstruction."

Democratic Left would not support a purely military operation, he said. "I hope that the Irish contribution can be part of a process which restores everyday life in Bosnia."

The resolution of differences in Bosnia and Herzegovina was a priority of Irish foreign policy, the Tanaiste said. At the moment, 31,000 troops are deployed in Bosnia, made up of contingents from the 16 NATO members and 19 non NATO countries.

Mr Spring explained the background to SFOR: a UN security council resolution in December 1996 authorised the establishment of the multinational force for a planned period of IS months. It was to help the parties in Bosnia and Herzegovina implement the Dayton agreement peace accord.

"Ethnic tensions remain high in many parts of the country and could easily erupt again into open conflict in the absence of an international stabilisation force," Mr Spring said. "A secure environment must be maintained if civilian implementation is to move forward at the desired tempo and if democracy and reconciliation are to develop.

Mr Austin Deasy (FG, Waterford) said Ireland should be a member of NATO and involved in peace enforcement as well as peacekeeping. We could not continue to evade our responsibilities in this regard.

"None of us wants to see our soldiers coming back in bodybags, killed abroad. None of us wants to see our peacekeepers, or our aid workers for that matter, suffering. But the fact of the matter is that we have a responsibility," Mr Deasy said.

"I would question the relevance of having a national army if it was not involved in peacekeeping or enforcement. We shouldn't be fudging issues. We shouldn't be having an army for the sake of having an army when the army is not prepared to enter into a protection of minorities and ethnic groups who are endangered. We must be prepared to get involved in peace enforcement."