SARAJEVO (Bosnia and Herzegovina), December 10 (SeeNews) – The European Union Council on Monday confirmed the EU’s commitment to the security in Bosnia through its military operation in the country, ALTHEA.
“The Council stressed that the EU remained actively committed to Bosnia and Herzegovina, including through Operation ALTHEA, and agreed that, as part of the EU's overall engagement in the country, the EU-led military presence would remain there for as long as necessary,” it said in a statement.
Last month, the United Nations Security Council extended the mandate of the EU’s peacekeeping force in Bosnia, EUFOR, until November 21, 2008.
The 1992-95 war in the Balkan country killed more than 100,000 people and drove one million from their homes.
“The Council reiterated that EUFOR continued to provide reassurance and remained ready to respond to possible security challenges throughout the country,” the statement said.
In December 2004, the EU took over from NATO peacekeeping operations in Bosnia in what was the biggest EU military mission abroad. Since then, the Security Council has been extending EUFOR's mandate each November for a year.
NATO’s SFOR stabilisation force in Bosnia numbered some 60,000 troops immediately after the signing of the Dayton Peace Agreement that put an end to the 1992-95 war. The current size of EUFOR is some 2,500 troops.