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Chairmen, ladies and gentlemen, as we approach the mid point of IFOR's mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina I am pleased to be able to report on IFOR's success in separating the opposing military forces, in cantonment of their weapons and forces, and in generally providing a secure climate in which the other organisations represented here can carry out their responsibilities under the Peace Agreement. I am pleased also to be able to note that, in addition to its primary tasks, IFOR has been able to provide a wide range of support for civil implementation.
IFOR's first and continuing priority is to ensure compliance with the military aspects of the Peace Agreement. We have done so even-handedly, and with the general cooperation of the Parties. An essential element of building confidence and supporting the arms control process is the cantonment of heavy weapons and forces, as required at D+120. This has been a very large task for the Parties, which we have been monitoring and assisting. We believe that the will was present to fulfil their obligations but the practical problems of organisation, logistics and movement were too great to achieve full compliance by D+120. We now expect it to be completed on D+180, this coming Monday. After Monday, IFOR will enforce compliance through the confiscation of any heavy weapons found at unauthorised sites. The Parties are aware of this new deadline, and we anticipate full cooperation.
Other key areas of IFOR activity will be continued assistance for the forthcoming elections, freedom of movement, emergency reconstruction, the work of the ICTY, as well as public information and emergency support for virtually all organisations in theatre. We will of course continue to provide the secure environment for all of this, including now through a wider IFOR presence throughout the country.
For elections we are working closely with the OSCE. I am pleased to report that, just yesterday, the North Atlantic Council not only reaffirmed NATO's willingness to support the OSCE, but directed IFOR to give priority to election support, especially during the critical period around election day. Council agreed that IFOR's main contribution will be the creation of a secure environment through the provision of area security, continued patrolling and opening of roads, monitoring the activities of the Parties and concentrating IFOR forces where necessary. In addition IFOR will provide support for election planning, communications, transport and logistics. As one concrete example, IFOR has assigned over 50 officers full-time to work with the OSCE, not only to assist in preparing the elections, but also to man the many OSCE regional and field offices throughout the country.
IFOR has done a great deal to create the physical conditions to permit freedom of movement - opening up routes, repairing and building bridges, emergency repairs to roads, removal of illegal checkpoints and so on. We have also worked out procedures with the UNHCR and the IPTF to facilitate freedom of movement across the IEBL. Although there have been a few well-publicised incidents where freedom of movement was blocked, these procedures have nevertheless allowed many thousands of Bosnians of all ethnic backgrounds to cross the IEBL. I would stress, however, that even if conditions are right and procedures are in place, as in so many other areas, the principal responsibility for freedom of movement rests squarely with the Parties themselves.
For reconstruction, which is critical to both a return to normalcy and to the UNHCR repatriation and return programme, we have some 7,000 engineers in our force working daily on emergency reconstruction of critical infrastructure, and in particular building and repairing bridges and opening up roads. We are also working to open the country's railroads and airports.
The mission of the ICTY is important to the credibility and success of the overall international effort. We have worked out arrangements with the ICTY to provide security and logistic support to its investigative teams, and also to provide surveillance of suspected mass grave sites. We have also worked out arrangements to detain indicted war criminals by IFOR and transfer them rapidly to the ICTY. We have provided transport to move detainees to the Hague. IFOR's increasing presence throughout the country will contribute to restricting the freedom of movement of such individuals and placing them at increasing risk. As with freedom of movement however, I must again insist that the Parties themselves live up to the agreements that they have entered into and that they give their full support to the work of the Tribunal..
IFOR has much to do in the coming months to consolidate military compliance, to ensure a secure environment and to support civil implementation. Given the magnitude of the tasks that remain, the North Atlantic Council has agreed that IFOR will be maintained at approximately its current force levels until September, and that its overall capability will be maintained until the end of the IFOR mandate in December.