The German Parliament voted overwhelmingly on Wednesday in favor of extending the German army’s commitment to NATO’s peace-keeping mission in Macedonia through mid-December.

The vote – just six of the 596 members present voted against the extension, with an additional six abstaining – came after German Defense Minister Peter Struck spoke passionately about extending the commitment of approximately 220 soldiers, which otherwise would have ended on Saturday.

“We shouldn’t abandon Macedonia too early,” Struck said during the parliamentary discussion.

"Amber Fox"

German soldiers were first sent to the former Yugoslavian republic of Macedonia in August 2001 as part of NATO’s “Amber Fox” mission. Along with other NATO forces, they are responsible for securing peace and protecting OSCE and EU observers monitoring negotiations between Macedonians and ethnic Albanians.

A NATO-brokered peace accord granted the large ethnic Albanian minority greater civil rights and in return, NATO monitored rebel disarmament.

Opinions about the long-term effectiveness of the peace accord differ radically, however. The U.S. has made clear its intention to end its involvement in the NATO mission in Macedonia, saying that stability has been achieved. It is expected to withdraw commitment at the end of 2002.

Germany and other key NATO members, however, question this analysis. And it’s clear that ethnic tensions remain, as evidenced by occasional shootings and kidnappings by Albanian rebels, despite the ongoing presence of some 700 NATO troops.

The German Parliament’s overwhelming support of a two-month extension was in part due to the fact that Macedonia’s recently elected government had requested the extension. The extended commitment of German troops will cost an estimated 1.5 million euros.

EU leadership

Macedonia plays a strategic role for European integration, and in many ways it is a test case for international peace-keeping efforts.

Germany led the NATO mission in Macedonia through June, when Holland assumed the lead position. Observers assume that Holland will continue its lead position, however, the Dutch have yet to make an official commitment.

German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer, meanwhile, campaigned on Wednesday for the European Union to take over the role NATO has been playing in Macedonia. If this happens, it would be the first time the European Union launched a peace-keeping mission and it would be a significant test case for the EU’s common approach to foreign policy.