European Union Aceh Monitoring Mission (AMM) (15.09.05)

European Union Aceh Monitoring Mission (AMM)

Background to the Mission:

- On 15 August 2005, after more than thirty years of bloody conflict, the Indonesian Government and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) signed a memorandum of understanding brokered by the former Finnish President Martti Ahtisaari. The memorandum opens up the way for a final settlement of the conflict. It calls for disarmament, amnesty and reintegration of the members of the Free Aceh Movement into society, as well as reforms in Aceh.

- At the urging of both parties, the European Union is mounting a monitoring mission to ensure that the Memorandum is properly implemented. The Mission is being conducted in partnership with five ASEAN Member States (Brunei, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand). Switzerland and Norway are also making a contribution.

- The Mission is the first action taken by the European Union in Asia under the European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP) and it marks the first time such cooperation has taken place with the ASEAN Member States. For the European Union, it marks a further step towards forging a lasting political partnership with Southeast Asia and Indonesia in particular.

- The advance team was deployed as soon as the Memorandum of Understanding was signed. The mission proper will start work on 15 September 2005. The speed with which the operation was put together shows how much progress has been made on the European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP) during the last three years and testifies to the European Union’s commitment to peace in a region that has long been torn by conflict and which suffered massive devastation in the December 2004 tsunami.

Mission Mandate and Features:

- The Mission will monitor compliance with the ceasefire, and the withdrawal of paramilitary forces and government troops. It will ensure respect for human rights under the terms of the Memorandum of Understanding. At the same time, the Commission will implement assistance programmes. In these ways, the European Union will contribute to bringing security, stability, economic development and social justice back to the region.

- The Mission is a civilian operation and will be unarmed. The Head of the Mission will report to the High Representative for the CFSP, Javier Solana, and keep the various players informed of developments and any violations of the terms of the Memorandum of Understanding. The mandate of the Head of the Mission is restricted to implementing the Memorandum.

- The cost of the Mission will be approximately €15 million. The CFSP budget will cover up to €9 million of the cost, with the States taking part in the Mission providing the other €6 million. The Member States will also contribute to the Mission by providing personnel. The total Mission team will have 227 members (of which 131 will be nationals of EU Member States). The Mission will take place from 15 September 2005 to 15 March 2006 and it will be extended if necessary.

- France has provided two observers for the preliminary deployment and will provide seven observers once the official launch of the Mission takes place on 15 September.