Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 286: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the extent to which the EU or UN have monitored events and implications at the recently convened meeting in Slovenia to advance EU accession which was not attended by Serbian representatives; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13519/10]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 292: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the current state of the peace process in the Western Balkans; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13525/10]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 298: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the full extent of ongoing peace and reconciliation measures in Bosnia; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13531/10]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 286, 292 and 298 together.

Together with its EU partners, Ireland attaches considerable importance to achieving stability in the countries of the Western Balkans which were recognised as having the perspective of EU membership at the 2003 European Council in Thessaloniki. The European Union's Stabilisation and Association process provides the framework for cooperation on economic, political and legal matters aimed at bringing the Western Balkan countries towards EU standards and principles in order to meet EU accession requirements.

There were a series of positive developments in December. Justice Ministers of the countries in the Schengen Agreement area granted visa free travel to citizens of Serbia, Montenegro and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. The European Commission will continue to work with Bosnia Herzegovina and Albania to assist those countries in meeting the Schengen criteria for visa free travel. In December, EU Foreign Ministers discussed the European Commission's latest reports on each of the Western Balkan countries and reaffirmed their support for the region's European perspective.

There were a series of positive developments in December. Justice Ministers of the countries in the Schengen Agreement area granted visa free travel to citizens of Serbia, Montenegro and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. The European Commission will continue to work with Bosnia Herzegovina and Albania to assist those countries in meeting the Schengen criteria for visa free travel. In December, EU Foreign Ministers discussed the European Commission's latest reports on each of the Western Balkan countries and reaffirmed their support for the region's European perspective. Foreign Ministers also agreed to implement the Interim Agreement on Trade aspects of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement with Serbia. At the end of December Serbia applied to join the EU.

With regard to the situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina, an EU/US initiative last October brought local party leaders together to discuss necessary political reforms. While these talks were not immediately successful, the EU remains engaged in efforts to secure political progress, including the transition from the Office of the High Representative to a reinforced EU Special Representative. EU Ministers noted in December that this requirement must be met before a membership application from Bosnia Herzegovina could be accepted by the EU.

EU Ministers pledged in January to remain fully engaged with the leaders of Bosnia Herzegovina to secure political progress in the run up to the general elections there in October. On 15 November last, local elections were held in Kosovo. These were the first democratic polls organised by the Government there. The assessment is that these were organised in a professional manner and took place peacefully, although the turnout in some Serb majority areas was low. The EU and the international community will continue to work in Kosovo to encourage stability and progress, including cooperation between the two main communities.

The Prime Ministers of Slovenia and Croatia invited leaders from the region to a conference on the European Future of the Western Balkans in Brdo, Slovenia, on 20 March. All countries were represented at senior political level with the regrettable exception of Serbia. It is understood that this absence may have been related to the manner in which the meeting was structured, including the presence of Kosovo.

Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fuele was at the Brdo conference and described it as an important step in the right direction. The Spanish Presidency is planning to organise a further high level meeting on the Western Balkans in the late spring, involving all EU member States and the governments of the region.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 289: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the extent to which EU and UN military presence is to be maintained in the Western Balkans; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13522/10]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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There are two main international military missions in the Western Balkans, both of which are under a UN mandate: the EU mission EUFOR Althea in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the NATO-led Kosovo Force (KFOR). Both missions are currently undergoing transformation.

EUFOR Althea, a more than 1,900-strong mission, continues to provide a military presence that contributes to the calm and stable security environment in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH). Building on these achievements, on 25 January 2010 the Council of the EU decided to start providing non-executive capacity-building and training support to the armed forces of BiH within the framework of the existing Operation.

Operation Althea's executive mandate will continue in accordance with UN Security Council Resolution 1895 (2009). The Council has expressed the readiness of the EU, should the situation require it, and under a UN mandate, to maintain an executive military presence in BiH beyond 2010 to ensure a safe and secure environment in the country.

It is expected that as of this summer, there will be a significant reduction in the strength of the mission. Ireland welcomes and supports this new direction for the mission. Noting this transition, the Government decided that as of July next, the participation of the Defence Forces should be reduced to approximately 5 personnel with remaining personnel retaining appointments at headquarters as the mission transitions into a primarily civilian format.

The UN-mandated NATO-led KFOR mission encompasses over 9,900 troops across Kosovo charged with the maintenance of a safe and secure environment. In June 2009, NATO Defence Ministers reaffirmed that KFOR would remain responsible for a safe and secure environment in Kosovo and will stay in Kosovo, under UN mandate, for as long as is necessary. Noting the steady improvement of the security situation, a gradual adjustment of KFOR's force presence was agreed such that, when appropriate and according to the evolution of events, there would be a reduction in the number of forces on the ground. Currently, 232 members of the Defence Forces are engaged with KFOR. In April, at the next rotation, it is planned to draw down Irish personnel from KFOR to approximately 50 troops and further to downsize to a small residual component post-October 2010.