EUHR Solana welcomes appointment of Schwarz-Schilling as EU Special Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina

Javier SOLANA, EU High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP), welcomes the decision of the Council on 30 January to appoint Christian Schwarz-Schilling as the European Union Special Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina.

High Representative Solana will give EUSR Schwarz-Schilling his full support and looks forward to working with him.

Since March 2002, the EU has appointed the person serving as High Representative for BiH under the Dayton/Paris agreement as EU Special Representative. This reflects the leading position assumed by the EU in the international engagement in BiH. In addition to reconstruction and assistance projects, it has opened a European perspective with the Stabilisation and Association Process and is conducting a military operation - Operation Althea - as well as a police mission - EUPM. This is part of a coherent EU approach. Under the authority and operational direction of the EU High Representative for CFSP, the EU Special Representative will play a central a role in promoting overall EU political co-ordination in BIH.

High Representative Solana wants to pay particular tribute to the extraordinary achievements of Paddy Ashdown as High Representative for BiH and as EUSR and to commend him on his work and his commitment for Bosnia and for Europe.
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Dr. Christian Schwarz-Schilling is a former federal Minister for Post and Telecommunication of Germany (1982-1992). As a member of the German Parliament (1976-2002), he served in various capacities, including Chairman of the Subcommittee on Human Rights and Humanitarian Aid (1995-1998) and a member of the Committees on Foreign Relations (1995-2002) and Economy (1993-1998). Dr. Schwarz-Schilling has vast experience in the business sector.

In 1995 Dr. Schwarz-Schilling was appointed the International Mediator in Bosnia and Herzegovina. He has travelled extensively throughout the Balkans working with leaders at the local level on mediation and conflict resolution. After leaving the German Parliament he has focused on furthering Integrative Mediation in South Eastern Europe.

More info on: www.eusrbih.org
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Background: mandate of the EUSR for Bosnia and Herzegovina

The mandate of the EUSR is based on the policy objectives of the EU in BiH. These centre around continued progress in the implementation of the General Framework Agreement for Peace (GFAP) in Bosnia and Herzegovina, in accordance with the Office of the High Representative's Mission Implementation Plan, and in the Stabilisation and Association Process, with the aim of a stable, viable, peaceful and multiethnic BiH, cooperating peacefully with its neighbours and irreversibly on track towards EU membership.

In order to achieve the policy objectives of the EU in BiH, the mandate of the EUSR includes the following elements:

• EU Presidency Statement - Security Council: Situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina (8/11/2006)
• Bosnia and Herzegovina: Summary note on joint report by EUHR Solana and EU Commissioner Rehn on a Reinforced EU Presence  (17/10/2006)
• Bosnia and Herzegovina: Statement by EU Commissioner Rehn on election (2/10/2006)
• EU Presidency Statement - Security Council Open Briefing on Bosnia and Herzegovina (18/4/2006)
• EUHR Solana welcomes progress by Bosnia and Herzegovina in reforming constitution (17/4/2006)
• Perspectives for Bosnia and Herzegovina - Speech by EU Commissioner Rehn (15/2/2006)
• EU Council Conclusions - Western Balkans (30/1/2006)
• Speech by EU Commissioner Rehn - Bosnia and Herzegovina: Moving closer to Europe (25/11/2005)
• Key findings of 2005 Progress Reports on Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and Montenegro and Kosovo (9/11/2005)