PRESS RELEASE (93)41                                   8 June 1993


                JOINT SESSION OF THE NORTH ATLANTIC COUNCIL AND
                     THE COUNCIL OF WESTERN EUROPEAN UNION
                        HELD IN BRUSSELS ON 8 JUNE 1993


    1.   A joint session of the North Atlantic Council and the Council
    of the Western European Union was held today, 8 June 1993.  This
    session completed the thorough review, undertaken in the light of
    recent developments, of the embargo operations in the Adriatic
    which NATO and WEU have been conducting in strict co-ordination
    since July 1992.  The Councils approved the combined NATO/WEU
    concept of operations for the implementation of UNSCR 820 in the
    Adriatic.  This includes a single command and control arrangement
    for combined NATO/WEU operations ("SHARP GUARD") under the
    authority of the Councils of both organizations.

    2.   Operational control of the combined NATO/WEU Task Force (CTF)
    for embargo operations in the Adriatic has been delegated through
    SACEUR to Commander Allied Naval Forces Southern Europe
    (COMNAVSOUTH).  Acting on behalf of the North Atlantic Alliance and
    the Western European Union, he will exercise operational control
    over a combined Task Force to conduct operations to monitor and
    enforce compliance with UN sanctions in accordance with UNSCRs 713,
    757, 787 and 820. The combined Task Force will, in particular, aim
    at preventing all unauthorized shipping from entering the
    territorial waters of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia
    and Montenegro).

    3.   Arrangements to ensure the efficient conduct of unified
    operations have been put in place.  Implementation of the joint
    NATO/WEU operations will start immediately.  Practical measures to
    ensure close co-operation among the relevant NATO and WEU bodies
    have been put into effect and further joint sessions of the North
    Atlantic Council and the Council of the Western European Union will
    be convened if necessary to issue additional political guidance for
    the operations in the Adriatic.

    4.   The combined operation will give concrete expression to the
    determination of NATO and WEU to continue to act together in
    co-operation for the effective implementation of the sanctions
    decided upon by the UN Security Council and to contribute to a
    settlement of the crisis in former Yugoslavia. This reflects our
    commitment to the principles of transparency and complementarity in
    pursuit of our mutual goal of enhanced security through NATO and
    WEU.