BOSNIA: Irish troops and gardaí on UN duty in Bosnia could be ordered home on Thursday morning unless the UN Security Council resolves a dispute with the US over the powers of the new International Criminal Court (ICC). Deaglán de Bréadún, Foreign Affairs Correspondent reports.
The US has been seeking immunity for its peacekeepers from prosecution by the ICC. In an effort to put pressure on the Security Council, the US vetoed the renewal of the UN-authorised SFOR peacekeeping mission in Bosnia-Herzegovina and UNMIBH, the UN-mandated police-training mission in that country.
Ireland voted with 12 other members of the Security Council to renew the SFOR and UNMIBH mandates, with the US voting against and Bulgaria abstaining. The US veto ensured the mandates were not renewed. Observers said it was a "remarkable" display of international solidarity by 13 member-states.
A further resolution for a three-day technical extension of the mandates, co-sponsored by Ireland with the UK, France and Norway, was approved by the council, including the US representative.
Ireland's UN ambassador, Mr Richard Ryan, said Ireland "supported absolutely" the extension of the mandates. "We understand the concerns of the US regarding the ICC and US personnel serving on UN missions; however we cannot share the decisions of the US regarding these concerns at this point. We have said all along that we are willing to work with others pragmatically to address these concerns."
Mr Ryan also pointed out at Sunday night's council meeting that, in a referendum last year, the Irish people had amended the Constitution to permit ratification of the Rome Statute establishing the International Criminal Court. Ireland was "strongly committed" to the European Union position in support of the ICC. The implications of the vote were "extremely serious" for the UN, the Security Council, UN peacekeeping and the people of Bosnia-Herzegovina. The council should move forward urgently to resolve the situation, Mr Ryan concluded.
Sixty Irish soldiers, most of them members of the military police, are serving with SFOR, which comprises troops from 19 countries under NATO leadership. Thirty-five gardaí are serving with UNMIBH (UN Mission in Bosnia-Herzegovina).
An Army spokesman said an instruction from the Chief of Staff had been prepared for transmission yesterday morning to the effect that Irish troops should not take part in any further SFOR operations but, following receipt of information from the Irish mission at the UN that a three-day postponement or "technical rollover" had been agreed at the Security Council, the order was not sent. A note had also been prepared to advise SFOR headquarters in Sarajevo that, in the absence of a UN mandate, Irish military personnel would be stood down.
The order has now been held back until Thursday. Efforts to resolve the dispute continue. The current Irish military contingent had been due to return home in three weeks, at the end of a six-month tour to be replaced by fresh troops who are in training at the Curragh. If the UNMIBH mandate is not renewed, the Garda contingent will have no UN mission in which to serve.