AFM ARMY OFFICER IN THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF YOGOSLAVIA AS PART OF OSCE OBSERVER MISSION

The Armed Forces of Malta have been asked by the Verification Centre of the OSCE to assist in an Inspection Mission by the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina on the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in accordance with Article IV of the Dayton Peace Accords. This is the third time that Malta has been asked to assist in Inspections of this kind.

Captain Attard, together with an assistant from Finland, is currently assisting the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina Inspection Team who are carrying out a verification inspection on the territory of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. He had also contributed as an inspector in a similar inspection by the Republic of Srpska on the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina in November 1997.

Captain Attard is 32 years old. He joined the Armed forces of Malta as an Officer Cadet in 1987. He attended an Infantry Platoon Commander's course in Rome before being commissioned in 1988. He subsequently went to the US Army Infantry School at Fort Benning, Georgia in the United States where he attended both Basic and Advanced Infantry courses. He has also attended an International UN Military Observer Course in Austria and recently returned from UK after attending the Joint Services Staff College. Captain Attard is married to Sharon nee' Bencini and lives in Sliema.

He will return to Malta on 1^st October 2000, when he will be available for interview by the media. Details of location and timings will be notified later.