/pub/history/military/a-weu/documents File: 1402comm.cou Document 1402 23rd November 1994 Communications from the Chairmanship-in-office of the WEU Council ------- A. OPERATION SHARP GUARD 1. Over the period 12th to 20th November 1993, the number of vessels under investigation by the Italian authorities remained unchanged (20). There are no specific incidents to report. 2. (a) Five ships, supported by a US vessel, are operating in the Montenegro area under the command of the Commander of WEU naval forces, four are in the Otranto area and eleven are in transit to operational areas or in Adriatic or Mediterranean ports - four of them in the port of Haifa (United Kingdom, Greek, Turkish and Italian vessels). (b) Since the last period, 503 vessels have been challenged (total 8 635), 36 inspected (total 751) and 12 vessels diverted for closer inspection (total 180). 37 speed boats were detected and handed over to the Italian customs authorities (total 435). (c) Air cover continues unchanged (24-hour in Montenegro and 18-hour in Otranto). (d) No vessel has violated the embargo. (e) United States, United Kingdom, Netherlands, French and Italian vessels are providing support to the operational groups. 3. The risk to units remains unchanged: minimal outside the two areas of operation, average inside the areas but outside former Yugoslav territorial waters and high within these territorial waters. The Chairmanship-in-office welcomes the smooth-running of the operation which can be counted a marked success thanks to the commitment of the units and perfect integration of headquarters staff on land and at sea. Proof lies in the fact that there has been no violation of the embargo by any vessel. The Chairmanship-in-office wishes to thank all the countries which were willing to contribute to the establishment of these two WEU headquarters staff. 22nd November 1993 B. WEU MISSION ON THE DANUBE The mission currently comprises some 240 officials from seven member states and 7 motor launches from three member states. Rotation of personnel is achieved by a system of regular reliefs. Over 1 200 inspections have been carried out since the start of the mission. The Chairmanship-in-office is aware from meetings with the authorities of the states along the Danube and visits to the Co- ordination and Support Centre and to inspection areas, of the importance of WEU's contribution to the overall effort to apply the sanctions and the effective way in which this mission is being carried out. This success is due to the deterrent effect of a large-scale operation and the synergy between the efforts deployed by WEU, the states along the Danube and the Sanctions Assistance Missions and also to the professionalism of our officials. Not a single convoy has attempted to force a passage and the infringements detected by WEU are usually negligeable. Incidents outside WEU's area of operations, in particular upstream from Calafat, have been reported to us. Non-governmental organisations known as "White Rose" and "New Byzantium" have set up a barrage at the level of Belgrade. Most convoys are stopped there and required to pay tolls, normally of the order of $20 000. Despite all efforts towards a resolution of the conflict, it seems likely that present system of sanctions will be maintained in the short term. In any event, a partial system would require considerable effort on the part of the states along the Danube because of the increased complexity of a selective system. 22nd November 1993 C. THE ACTIVITIES OF THE COUNCIL WORKING GROUP ON MOSTAR At the European Communities General Affairs Council on 4th October, at which the administration of Mostar was discussed, Ministers agreed to ask WEU to consider the support it could give with organising a police force and improving certain vital supply functions, in particular in the field of medical assistance. Since that date, the Permanent Council has kept the question on the agenda of its weekly meetings. It has set up a special working group to report back, on the basis of the meetings that have been held of medical and police experts. Two preliminary reports by the experts have already been produced. Each report defines a number of options. They cannot be regarded as final responses to the questions raised, due to the uncertainties as to developments in the situation on the ground and because the precise terms of the European Union's acceptance of the mandate under the Geneva plan are not yet known. Similarly, WEU itself is not in a position to determine the extent of the responsibilities that the European Union administrator may be called upon to exercise. The Presidency feels that a number of basic principles should underlie the thinking on a role in support of the European Union administrator in Mostar. A WEU contribution, whether in the police or in the medical field, should in principle be under the authority of the EU Administrator. It will be pointed out that the way in which co-ordination and co-operation on the ground with UNPROFOR or NATO functions will depend on how the EU Administrator's mandate fits into the overall implementation of the plan. In principle, such a contribution should be made only if a local type of solution is not possible. Furthermore, the contribution should be only in those fields not covered by the military side of the agreement or that might be better covered by the team around the EU Administrator. Close attention should also be paid to the arrangements set up by the United Nations in Sarajevo, in order to maintain a proper balance in the international community aspects of the two bodies. Lastly, it would be better for a structure not to be set up in Mostar so long as no agreement has been implemented anywhere else. The security of such an operation is at stake. Because any WEU contribution is linked with the administration of the European Union, WEU should adhere to the conditions laid down on a preliminary basis within European Union bodies. As regards its own contribution, WEU should add the following two conditions: the military implementation of the plan should have begun, in order to provide an adequate security environment; and there should be a specific agreement with UNPROFOR/NATO to establish the circumstances in which the military element could be called upon. Throughout the exercise now initiated, WEU has been in close contact with the Presidency of the European Union. The UN authorities have reacted favourably to the possibility of a WEU contribution, especially in the police field, although the various interlocutors stress the need for such a contribution to be inserted in the framework of global implementation and for vital co-ordination with UNCIVPOL to exist. WEU is participating in the ad hoc Group on Planning Co- ordination set up by the Atlantic Alliance. At its meetings, WEU has voiced its concern about the creation of an adequate security environment and the possibility of calling on the military element in the event of need. The NATO authorities have taken due note of this concern. The WEU Presidency suggests forwarding this report to the European Union, indicating that it is provisional and incomplete due to uncertainties linked with the process of negotiation and developments in the situation on the ground. At the same time, we should ask the competent bodies in our own organisation to continue with their work on the subject so that there can be a prompt reaction if an agreement is reached. 22nd November 1993 ------- For information, please contact: Yves ROBINS, Press Counsellor _/ _/ _/_/_/_/ _/ _/ | ASSEMBLY OF WESTERN EUROPEAN UNION _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ | 43, avenue du President Wilson _/ _/ _/ _/_/_/ _/ _/ | F-75775 Paris cedex 16 France _/_/_/_/ _/ _/ _/ | Tel 331-47235432; Fax 331-47204543 _/ _/ _/_/_/_/ _/_/_/ | E-mail: 100315.240@Compuserve.com