SARAJEVO, Jan. 14 (Xinhua) -- Major General Alexander Platzer took over on Thursday as the new commander of the European Union Force (EUFOR) in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH).
The change of command ceremony took place at EUFOR's Camp Butmir near BiH capital Sarajevo, the Parliamentary Assembly of BiH said.
Lieutenant General Brice Houdet, the EU operation commander for EUFOR Althea, officiated the change of command between Platzer and departing Commander Major General Reinhard Trischak.
"There is still a lot to do and I look forward to facing the challenges and complex issues that await me in carrying out the mandate given to us by the United Nations Security Council," Platzer said. The EUFOR will maintain close ties with the security institutions in BiH, he said, in particular with the BiH Armed Forces in order to provide a safe and stable environment for all.
Numerous representatives of the international community attended the ceremony. The BiH government was represented by Asim Sarajlic, chairman of the BiH Parliament's Joint Committee on Defence and Security.
The EUFOR in BiH is a robust military force of 600 troops with the mission to ensure continued compliance with the 1995 Dayton Peace Agreement, which put an end to the Bosnian war that took place in Bosnia and Herzegovina between 1992 and 1995. Its mandate is to support the BiH authorities in maintaining a safe and secure environment. Enditem