NR-00.026 18 May 2000

SFOR Peace Stabilisation Force Coalition Press Information Office Tito Barracks Sarajevo Telephone: 00387-71-495638 FAX: 00387-71-495605 e-mail: cpic_mediaops@sfor.nato.int SFOR Headquarters Returns Ilidza Site to the Municipality of Ilidza Sarajevo - Today, the Stabilization Force (SFOR) headquarters announced that the land and property presently occupied by SFOR Headquarters in the municipality of Ilidza will soon be returned to that municipality. SFOR will pay a one-time sum of 300,000 Convertible Marks (KM) to the municipality of Ilidza and the Hotels Ilidza Company to provide for the restoration of green areas and for adjustments to selected buildings and infrastructure after SFOR headquarters completes its move from Ilidza to new facilities in Butmir. It is likely that the move will be completed in August. The funds will be managed by Ilidza municipal authorities and used for such projects as the removal of gravel from current military vehicle parking lots and helipads, restoration of grassy areas, planting trees, removing dead trees and stumps, and upgrading walkways and improving the Hotel Serbia dining room. This agreement will return the Ilidza site to the municipality of Ilidza and the Hotels Ilidza Company more quickly and allows them to undertake any work in the manner they require, with their own resources. Without this agreement, SFOR would have otherwise undertaken the work itself only after the headquarters had moved to Butmir. We greatly appreciate the support the community of Ilidza has given SFOR over the years," said COMSFOR, Lieutenant General Ron Adams. "SFOR headquarters has been a good steward of these facilities and a good neighbour for the community of Ilidza. We've made a number of improvements here so there's a sense of satisfaction that we're turning over facilities in better condition than when SFOR headquarters moved to Ilidza. There's still a significant amount of damage from the war that will need repair and I'm looking forward to seeing the results of the municipality's transformation of this area from a military installation to a civilian community." Since it moved to the Ilidza site in January 1996, SFOR has spent more than 15 million KM to operate and enhance the premises. SFOR made extensive repairs to the Hotel Terme and the Hotel Herzegovina, restored part of the Hotel Serbia dining room, completely rebuilt the kitchens of the Hotel Serbia and the Hotel Terme, overhauled the main heating plant for the complex, replaced all of the windows, electrical wiring and power panels in all the buildings, installed numerous telephone and Internet connections, and replaced the water distribution system. For the civilian employees presently employed by SFOR at Ilidza, the intent is to minimize any impact from the transfer of the facilities. The hotels, which are presently operating under contract with SFOR, employ most of the civilian staff. Since similar functions will be required at Butmir, SFOR is exploring ways to facilitate the re-employment at Butmir of individuals currently working for SFOR at Ilidza.