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SARAJEVO, March 28 (FENA) - The new Commander of EUFOR in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Major General Martin Dorfer, took over the command from Major General Anton Waldner at a handover ceremony today at the EUFOR HQ in Butmir, Sarajevo.
Addressing the attendees, outgoing EUFOR Commander, Major General Waldner, said that he had formed a special relationship with BiH and its people and achieved good cooperation with, among others, the BiH Armed Forces (BiH AF), as well as other stakeholders in the preservation of peace and stability in BiH.
“EUFOR remains obliged to contribute to a safe and stable environment in BiH. We need to work closely with state authorities and international organizations to continue BiH’s progress,” he said.
He stressed that an environment must be created in BiH in which young people would want to stay and that everyone should look into the future, rather than the past.
"Persevere in your will to join the EU, as it is a unique peace project in human history," MG Waldner said.
Deputy Head of the European Union Delegation to BiH Khaldoun Sinno congratulated Major General Waldner on his good job and thanked him for his dedication to the preservation of a safe and stable environment in BiH.
He welcomed General Dorfer because, as he said, EUFOR's contribution to stability in BiH is important, as is his contribution to BiH's path towards the EU.
“The EU Delegation closely cooperates with EUFOR and all other stakeholders in the security sector to achieve this,” he said.
He reiterated that the EU remained firmly committed to the European perspective of BiH, which is clearly stated in the new strategy of the European Commission for the Western Balkans.
He added that this support included a clear commitment to the territorial integrity of BiH as a sovereign and united country and that Operation Althea continued to play an important role in this respect.
New EUFOR Commander Dorfer said progress in BiH was noticeable, but there is still a lot to be done.
“I am fully aware of the responsibilities that I have with this office and will be fully committed to the EUFOR mission and the Operation Althea,” he stressed.
He said that he would continue the same path as his predecessor, with the aim of implementing the results of the EUFOR strategic overview mission and capacity building in order to achieve a better overview of the situation in BiH.
He concluded that the main objective remains to maintain a safe and stable environment and to provide support to BiH AF and to the BiH authorities and citizens, he told that EUFOR would remain a secure and reliable partner.
The attendees were also addressed by the EUFOR Operation Althea operational commander, General James Everard, who said that Major General Waldner had led by his own example, dealing at the same time with current problems in order to execute the operational plan.
He noted that EUFOR would strengthen the BiH AF through the training and educational programs envisaged by the BiH Ministry of Defense.
He wished the new commander good luck in his future work, with the message that it is "a marathon, not a 100m race".
“We have full confidence that you, with the support of the EU Special Representative in BiH, will bring us closer to the goal and thus show our collective ability to help BiH fulfill the conditions for Euro-Atlantic integration,” Mr. Everard said, addressing the new Commander of EUFOR in BiH.
(FENA)
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