The Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces has said he is "concerned" about the US decision to veto the extension of the UN peacekeeping mission in Bosnia.
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But, speaking at the launch of the annual report of the Defence Forces today, Lieutenant General Colm Mangan said negotiations are currently ongoing at the UN to try to resolve the impasse, which has stemmed from a row over whether US peacekeepers in Bosnia should be given immunity from the new International Criminal Court (ICC).
On Sunday night the Washington administration threatened to withdraw its forces from the region, if the UN does not agree to its demand for immunity for its forces at the ICC, which was formally established on Monday.
The Chief of Staff said the Irish Defence Force was concerned with the situation, which might lead to the withdrawal of the 60 Irish troops in the region.
But Lieutenant General Mangan said that if the negotiations proved ineffective, the Defence Forces would stand down and cease their peacekeeping operations in Bosnia.
"We’re at the Government’s behest," he said. "So if we’re asked to stand down, we will."