The High Representative, Wolfgang Petritsch, has today appointed Mr. Paul Martin as Deputy High Representative and Head of the OHR Banja Luka Office.

Mr. Martin has wide and valuable experience in Bosnia and Herzegovina starting in 1996 in the service of the United Nations International Police Task Force (IPTF). First he was the commander of the IPTF station in Banja Luka - the largest IPTF station in the country -, and later he was promoted to Deputy District Commander of the Banja Luka District, responsible for six IPTF stations and three sub-stations. In 1999 and 2000, he was the High Representative's Special Envoy to Doboj. With regard to his position as Head of the OHR Banja Luka Office, he arrived one month in advance in order to familiarize himself with his new task.

Mr. Martin has had a long and distinguished career with the Canadian government, and has served in a number of diplomatic posts. The High Representative welcomes Mr. Martin back to the OHR and wishes him further success in his new role.

The High Representative also expresses his thanks and best wishes to Mr. Georges Bordet, who is leaving the OHR. When he took over as Head of the Banja Luka Office and Deputy High Representative in February last year, Mr. Bordet became the High Representative's chief contact point for the newly elected government of the Republika Srpska. Upon arrival, Mr. Bordet immediately participated in the negotiation of the Special Parallel Relations Agreement between the Republika Srpska and Yugoslavia. During his tenure, a number of important events took place in the Republika Srpska, including the laying of the cornerstone for the Ferhadija Mosque, both the first attempt during which there was public rioting, and the second - and successful - attempt. Mr. Bordet had the lead role for OHR in the organization of the sixth anniversary commemoration of the Srebrenica crimes last July. He has been fully engaged at this crucial time when both Entities are discussing constitutional amendments in line with the Constitutional Court's ruling on the constituency of peoples, issued in 2000.

Mr. Bordet's contribution to the implementation of the Dayton Peace Agreement has been invaluable. The High Representative is grateful to Mr. Bordet for his work at OHR and wishes him every success in the future.