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March 30, 2002 Nato Balkans merger to cut British troops By Michael Evans, Defence Editor NATO is planning to merge its three operations in the Balkans, which will lead to reductions in British troops and the 60,000-strong alliance forces currently in Bosnia, Kosovo and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. After a long "operational area review", a report will be published soon outlining a dramatically changed format for the three operations, which have always had separate command structures supported by different logistics chains. The recommendation, to be discussed by Nato's defence ministers in Brussels in May, is that the Kosovo Force (Kfor), Stabilisation Force (Sfor) in Bosnia and Task Force Amber Fox in Macedonia should become a single operation, cutting out what is seen as duplication on a grand scale. Defence sources said that all three operational areas were now relatively stable and that it was feasible and practical for the forces to be merged. "This will mean that if there is a sudden emergency in Bosnia, requiring more troops, a brigade could be sent from Kosovo under a cross-border agreement," one source said. The aim is not to cut back on the number of "bayonet-carrying" infantry soldiers but to reduce the huge logistics networks that feed, arm and support the three military operations. There will be more emphasis on having quickreaction forces available to move from one operational area to another, crossing borders as required. Troop numbers have fallen in recent years, especially in Bosnia, and there are many non-alliance countries contributing units, but the Nato commitment in the Balkans is still substantial, representing at least 75 per cent of the troops serving in the three separate operations. There are currently about 42,500 Nato and non-Nato troops in Kfor, 18,000 in Sfor and 700 in Task Force Amber Fox. Britain's contribution, which has also been cut back in the past two years, is still 3,900 in Kfor and 2,100 with Sfor. No British troops are serving in Task Force Amber Fox at present, although this could change if the European Union takes over the command of the Macedonian mission in the autumn. Britain is likely to want to be involved in what would be the first EU defence operation for its fledgeling rapid reaction force. Under the present arrangements, Kfor is backed by a logistics chain that runs from Kosovo to Macedonia and down to Salonika in Greece. Kfor has 2,500 troops at its rear support headquarters in Macedonia, delivering daily runs of food, supplies and rotating troops across the border down two main highways. Convoys of lorries also use the road from the port of Salonika to Skopje in Macedonia. The presence of 2,500 Nato troops outside Skopje also provides Task Force Amber Fox with back-up in the event of a security crisis in Macedonia. This would need to continue even if the EU takes over command of the mission after the elections in the autumn. The Bosnian operation embraces neighbouring Croatia, where Nato logistics troops keep supplies going from the port of Split. Some troop changes are already under way or being considered. The French have come up with the idea of forming a joint Anglo-French brigade in Kosovo. The French and British troops have worked closely together in the frequently ethnically tense town of Mitrovica in north Kosovo, but no decisions have yet been taken on the French idea. The Russians have also announced that they want to reduce their troop numbers in Kosovo and Bosnia by a third, saying that they are running out of money. http://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/0,,3-251800,00.html --------------------------- ANTI-NATO INFORMATION LIST ==^================================================================ This email was sent to: archive@jab.org EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?a84x2u.a9617B Or send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail! http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register ==^================================================================
