The Military Cell is actively involved in the development of State level defence and security policy within Bosnia and Herzegovina and the strengthening of state level institutions, particularly the SCMM. This Committee, headed by the joint Presidency, was set up as part of the General Framework Agreement for Peace, its task being ‘to co-ordinate the activities of armed forces in Bosnia and Herzegovina’. Expanding the role of the SCMM and its Secretariat has been a key objective. At its meeting in December 2000, the Presidency members agreed to increase the size of the Secretariat so that it could start to carry out effective State-level co-ordination of defence activities, especially in the areas of liaison with international organisations and planning for the future participation of Bosnian forces in UN-led Peace Support Operations.
Throughout 2000 the Defence Ministers’ Working Group, under the oversight of the SCMM, worked on developing State level defence policy. This work was co-ordinated by the Military Cell with input from SFOR and the NATO Balkans Task Force, with academic support being provided by the Centre for Defence Studies at King’s College, London. The aim of this work was to provide the necessary support to allow the Entities to produce their own State-level defence policy, which was submitted to the SCMM in January 2001.
In 2001 the focus has shifted to the production of a wide-ranging, State-level security policy. This work will be conducted under the guidance of the Bosnia and Herzegovina Council of Ministers, which has been tasked by the Peace Implementation Council (PIC) with developing this important area of policy. The Military Cell also assists the High Representative to oversee the implementation of military aspects of the PIC Implementation Agenda. Key areas of work are:
- Defence Ministers’ Working Group (OHR lead)
- Roadmap for a State Defence Establishment (OHR lead)
- SCMM Development (OHR lead)
- Configuration of Entity Armed Forces (SFOR lead, OHR involvement)
- 15% Reduction in Entity Armed Forces in 2000 (SFOR lead, OHR involvement)
- Enhanced Confidence and Security Building Measures (OSCE lead, OHR involvement)
- Obligations under the Vienna Document 1999 (OSCE lead, OHR involvement)
- Transparency of Military Assistance (OSCE lead, OHR involvement)
- Participation in Peacekeeping Operations (UN lead, OHR involvement)
SCMM SECRETARIAT PLANNED EXPANSION