HC Deb 13 February 2004 vol 418 c79W
Mr. Gray

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what his involvement has been in planning Operation Artemis; and what discussions he has had with the police with regard to Operation Artemis; [154727]

(2) what the likely cost to the police is of Operation Artemis; [154729]

(3) when he last met the Chief Constable of North Wales to discuss Operation Artemis; [154730]

(4) if he will make a statement on his policy on Operation Artemis.

[154731]

Mr. Rammell

At the request of the UN Secretary-General, the Security Council agreed to the deployment in June 2003 of an Interim Emergency Multinational Force (Operation Artemis) to Bunia in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The purpose of the operation was to support the UN Mission present in the country and to provide a secure environment under which the interim Administration could function. Operation Artemis was a French-led European Security and Defence Policy force, over which the EU's Political and Security Committee exercised political control and strategic direction. It was deployed for a short period until 15 September 2003 and was a military mission with no civilian police involvement.

The UK contributed some 85 military personnel to Operation Artemis. The Operation's mandate expired on 15 September 2003, by which time all forces involved had been withdrawn from the territory of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.