Austria wants to use its EU presidency to build up a headquarters for military-civilian operations, Defence Minister Guenther Platter said Monday, according to Reuters. He told reporters it would be a coordination centre for EU-wide military operations in the civilian area. The union wanted to gather its military resources in order to be more effective in natural disasters and other crises. The goal was to give help "which is seen to come from the E.U." A coordination centre for military-civilian operations already existed, and was planned to become operative in mid or late 2006. In the next few months, under Austrian chairmanship, there would be preparations, said Platter. He said another focal point for his ministry was military involvement in the Balkans. In Kosovo, status talks were coming up, which would start during the Austrian EU presidency. The Austrian army presently had 500 soldiers stationed in the south Serbian province. There was no thought of cutting back troops there, contrary to Bosnia-Hercegovina where elections would be held this autumn, and the EU peace force stationed there somewhat reduced afterwards. Platter said the EU defence ministers under his chairmanship in the first six months of 2006 would also discuss measures against international terrorism. There would be an informal EU defence ministers' council in Innsbruck at the beginning of March.
