COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION LAUNCHES OPERATION

UNCLAS BRUSSELS 005030 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/ERA, EUR/SCE, EUR/RPM E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL BK MOPS EUN USEU BRUSSELS SUBJECT: COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION LAUNCHES OPERATION ALTHEA REF: USUN 2630 ¶1. (U) Under the provisions of the Treaty of the European Union, the Council of the European Union on November 23 launched Operation Althea in Bosnia-Herzegovina. The EU Operation Commander was authorized to release the activation order (ACTORD) in order to execute the deployment of the forces and start execution of the mission on December 2, ¶2004. The decision will remain in force until the Council decides to end the mission. (NOTE: UNSCR 1575 (see below) has given the mission a mandate for "an initial planned period of twelve months." END NOTE.) ¶2. (U) The launch of Operation Althea is based on a Council Joint Action (decision of Heads of State and Government) from July 2004. The UN Security Council on November 22 unanimously adopted UNSCR 1575 authorizing an EU-led military mission and a residual NATO Headquarters presence (reftel). High Representative Solana will be in Sarajevo December 2 to participate in ceremonies celebrating the end of SFOR and the beginning of the EU's European Security and Defense Policy (ESDP) mission "Operation Althea." SCHNABEL