Meeting of the North Atlantic Council in Ministerial Session NATO HQ Brussels 10 Dec 1996

Intervention (morning session) by the Netherlands Minister for Foreign Affairs, Hans van Mierlo

Mr. Secretary General, As allies we can be proud that NATO has led the IFOR operation. It has been successful in many respects. It has been a success because it gives visibility to the transatlantic solidarity which exists in our alliance; it also gave proof of our willingness and ability to operate together with our PfP Partners, but first and foremost it was a success because IFOR has been an essential element in the peace process. We have achieved more than just the absence of war. Although limited, progress has been made, elections have taken place, common institutions are being established. Former adversaries have been brought together to look for solutions. Peace is fragile and not necessarily irreversible; we cannot afford to relax. The international community sill has to help stabilise the situation in order for peace to grow roots. My government has therefore been a solid supporter of the establishment of a NATO-led follow-on force. Such a force would not only deter fighting, but contribute again substantially to the peace process. We understand and accept that the Stabilisation Force has a more limited capacity and therefore has to be selective and set priorities when it comes to supporting civil implementation. However, the SFOR should do its utmost, within its limitations. In our view support for the International Police Task Force is highly important. The problem of law and order, especially in relation to freedom of movement and the return of refugees, will figure prominently in this phase of the peace process. It is therefore crucial that we support the IPTF in its efforts to set standards and monitor the performance of the local law enforcers. IFOR has set the example. Support of the activities of the International Tribunal (ICTY) should also be continued. The Tribunal is in serious trouble, which endangers the peace process. Peace cannot be achieved without justice. This brings me to the very sensitive issue of the efforts of the international community to see to it that the persons indicted for war crimes are indeed brought before the International Tribunal in The Hague. If IFOR's possibilities appear to be limited in this respect, we have the moral obligations to search for new and effective ways, as Warren Christopher put it, to allow justice to take its course. Moreover, we must continue to put maximum pressure on the parties to hand over indictees to the Tribunal, as they are obliged to do by Dayton. The world should not rest until people like Karadzic and Mladic have been called to account for their deeds. Finally I join my colleagues in calling for clear signals to the authorities in Serbia, to respect the essentials of the democracy. We should say that loud and clear in our communiqué