Czechs, Slovaks to create battlegroup
Otto Mann
17:20 - 25.04.2008
Prague- Czech Defence Minister Vlasta Parkanova and her Slovak
counterpart Jaroslav Baska today signed an agreement on the creation
of a battlegroup, one of the biggest joint defence projects since
Czechoslovakia's division in 1993.
The unit is to start working within the EU in 2009. It will have some
1500 soldiers, the ministers told journalists after the meeting of
defence ministers of the Visegrad Four (the Czech Republic, Slovakia,
Hungary and Poland) and Ukraine today.
"It is another form of cooperation between the Czech Republic and
Slovakia," Parkanova said.
Baska said Slovakia would have some 300 soldiers and 100 members of
the logistics team in the unit.
EU members pledged to form 13 battlegroups that are to be on alert for
defence missions in 2004.
The soldiers are to be ready for deployment in an emergency area ten
days after a decision is made. The conflicts include the separation
of some warring factions. The Czech Republic is to deliver a
mechanised battalion, artillery systems and combat helicopters to the
group.
Autor: ČTK.
Link: http://www.ceskenoviny.cz/news/index_view.php?id=309469