The Dutch contribution to the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Spillover Monitor Mission
The mission of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) had already been active in Macedonia since 1992. The OSCE monitored developments along the border between Macedonia and Kosovo and, following the outbreak of the internal armed conflict between the ethnic Albanians and the Slavonic Macedonians, also the situation in the other areas at risk of becoming embroiled into the conflict in the former Yugoslavia.
The presence of the monitors helped with the return of mixed ethnic Albanian and Slavonic Macedonian police units to a number of high-risk areas. The Ministry of Defence provided an officer as an observer for the OSCE mission in Macedonia from 28 October 2001. This officer was succeeded by a police adviser from the Royal Marechaussee in the rank of colonel, who returned to the Netherlands on 1 February 2004.
Updated: 1 November 2009