The crisis in Kosovo remained a challenge for all European democracies, including Ireland, the Minister for Defence said yesterday.
"It is a key foreign and security policy issue for the European Union and is likely to remain a central element of the EU's agenda for the foreseeable future," Mr Smith added.
The Minister was speaking at McKee Barracks, Dublin, after reviewing, with the Chief-of-Staff of the Defence Forces, Lieut Gen David Stapleton, 104 troops who will leave for Kosovo later this month. It brings the total number of Defence Forces personnel serving in the Balkans to 187.
"I am delighted that Ireland is playing its part in contributing troops to the United Nations-mandated Kfor mission, yet another chapter in the long and distinguished history of Defence Forces involvement in peacekeeping missions," the Minister said.
He added that the Irish troops would form a transport company to be based in Lipljan, 15 km south of Pristina. "Equipped with 40 vehicles, they will carry out humanitarian re-supply missions to villages and towns in Kosovo. They will deliver equipment and material to facilitate the completion of essential infrastructural improvements to alleviate human suffering," he said.
"They will also carry out general re-supply and transport tasks for the Kfor mission. In doing so, the Irish contingent will be mobile throughout the entire Kfor area of operations," he added.
The troops come from each of the brigade areas throughout the State and most have served at least twice overseas in Lebanon, Cyprus, Iran, Iraq, Sarajevo and Somalia. They are under the command of Comdt Martin Gibson, a native of Cork city, who lives in Coosan, Athlone, Westmeath, and who has previously served in Lebanon, Western Sahara and Kuwait.
The group has one female member, Private Muiran O'Connell, from Loughboy, Co Kilkenny, who has spent 19 years in the Defence Forces and has served seven tours of duty in Lebanon and with the transport company in Somalia in 1994. She will be a driver with routine security duties. The strength of the Kfor force currently stands at about 31,000 troops. An Army spokesman said that the main threat to safety came from road accidents and mines. All Irish troops had received extensive mine-awareness briefings and training and other skills, he added.
They are being issued with the Defence Forces new combat uniform and clothing system which has a specially designed layering system to protect them from the harsh Kosovan winter conditions.
