Waiouru awaits Bosnia orders

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 12, Issue 538, 31 May 1994, Page 1

Waiouru awaits Bosnia orders

By

Michele

Monaghan.

Lieutenant Colonel Graeme Williams, with 20 years in the Army under his belt, has been assigned the task of Contingent commander for New Zealand troops going to Bosnia. Currently Commanding Officer of 16 Field Regiment (Artillery) in Waiouru, Lt Col Williams

sees his main function as "looking after New Zealand' s interests, and the soldier's interests". He said there are "a lot of matters to be resolved" with regard to the mission. Matters like identifying the soldiers going, equipment and shipping. At time of writing, the United Nations had not yet accepted the New Zealand offer. Lt Col

Williams said he envisaged New Zealand troops would be in Bosnia by mid-August. At this stage it is expected New Zealand troops will be based

around Vitez, he said. Appropriate equipment is being purchased for the conditions - temperature ranges in Bosnia are from 40 degrees abpve to 40 degrees below zero Celsius. Cold weather kit is available in New Zealand and Lt Col Williams said it has the reputation amongst the UN of being the best for the conditions. New Zealand troops will escort convoys, man check points, guard weapon collection points, provide manning for observation posts and par-

ticipate in some patrolling. The Ruapehu Bulletin understants the situation Turn to Page 2

Bosnia orders

FROMPAGEl in Waiouru at present with regard to the Bosnia mission is: □ New Zealand armoured vehicles are being painted white, and will be shipped to Split in about four week's time. □ Vehicle crews, two storemen and one officer will be sent from Queen Alexandra' s Mounted Rifles. □ QAMR Workshop personnel and other RNZEME soldiers are still waiting for a decision on who's going. -j □ 16 Field Regiment will be contributing five signallers (this is to be confirmed). The aims of the United Nations in regards to Bosnia are: To work towards a peaceful settlement; to minimise the suffering by providing humanitarian aid; and to prevent 'spillover' of the conflict. Lt Col Williams was one of five New Zealand Army officers who went to London on 1 2 May to negotiate details regarding the New Zealand detachment to a British battalion. In 1979 he was team leader with the New Zea-

land Army truce monitoring contigent in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) He served

a one-year tour as a UN observor in Palestine in 1981.