Javier SOLANA, EU High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP), welcomes the appointment of Valentin INZKO as the new European Union Special Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina:

"I am very pleased that the Council has, on the basis of my recommendation, appointed Valentin Inzko as the new EU Special Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina, and that he has also been appointed today as High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina by the Peace Implementation Council. Valentin Inzko, a senior diplomat with an in-depth knowledge of the Western Balkans and of Bosnia and Herzegovina in particular, will replace Miroslav Lajčák in the coming days.

I look forward to working with Valentin Inzko, who can count on my full support, and I wish him every success. I also would like to warmly thank the outgoing Special Representative, Miroslav Lajčák, for his dedication and excellent work throughout his mandate."

The Council took the formal decision (2009/181/CFSP) on Wednesday, 11 March 2009 to appoint Valentin Inzko as the new European Union Special Representative (EUSR) for Bosnia and Herzegovina until 28 February 2010. Today, Mr Inzko has also been appointed as the international community's High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina by the Steering Board of the Peace Implementation Council (PIC). Mr Inzko succeeds Miroslav Lajčák, who was appointed Foreign Minister of Slovakia on 26 January 2009.

Mr Inzko is a senior Austrian diplomat who was born in 1949. He served as Austrian Ambassador to Slovenia until being appointed EUSR. Valentin Inzko will offer the EU's advice and facilitation in the political process; promote overall EU coordination; provide political guidance to the EU police mission (EUPM) and the EU military operation EUFOR ALTHEA; engage with the Bosnia and Herzegovina authorities on their full co-operation with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY); and provide advice and facilitation in the process of constitutional reform.

Attached: CV of Valentin Inzko

Curriculum Vitae of Valentin Inzko

EU Special Representative in Bosnia and Herzogovina

Personal Data

Born in 1949 in Klagenfurt

Married to Bernarda Fink, two children

Education

Studies of Law (Doctoral Degree), Serbo-Croatian and Russian in Graz

Degree of the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna

Appointments

Since March 2009 EU Special Representative in Bosnia Herzegovina

2005- 2009 Austrian Ambassador to the Republic of Slovenia

Autumn 2002 Observer of the Montenegrin Parliamentary Elections

2000 - 2004 Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Head of Eastern and South East European Department and COWEB delegate

1996 -1999 First post-war Ambassador of Austria to Bosnia Herzegovina., honorary citizen of Sarajevo

Autumn 1992 Founding Head of the OSCE Observer Mission in Novi Pazar, Sandzhak, Serbia

1991 -1995 Founding Director of the Austrian Cultural Institute, Prague

1989 - 1990 Ministry of Foreign Affairs Vienna, Deputy Head of Press and Information Department

1986 -1989 Austrian Mission to the UN, New York, 1^st and 5^th Committee, Deputy Chairman of the Disarmament Commission

1982 -1986 Austrian Embassy Belgrade, Serbia - Press Department

1981 -1982 Ministry of Foreign Affairs Vienna, Eastern and South East European Department, including Yugoslavia

1978 -1980 UNDP Office Colombo, Sri Lanka

1974 - 1978 UN OP Office Ulan Bator, Mongolia

Languages

German and Slovene - Mother tongues

Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian - fluent

English - fluent

French -fluent

Russian - fluent

Czech - fluent

Spanish - basics