High Representative Carlos Westendorp has appointed Christian Clages, Head of the Political Department, his Deputy for Political Affairs.
In the letter of appointment to Clages, Westendorp wrote that the German career diplomat was leading the “the Political Department in a period when we have made remarkable progress, in the face of considerable difficulties, and you deserve your share of credit for that.”
The Political Department has been dealing with virtually all burning political issues in Bosnia and Herzegovina from elections to common institutions to Entity problems to police restructuring to contacts to the Steering Board of the Peace Implementation Council.
Clages, who is 43, received a M.A. in history and national economics from the Free University of Berlin in 1984. He then joined the German Foreign Service and held postings in Saudi Arabia, New York and Germany. Since 1992 he has been working in and on Bosnia and Herzegovina. He took part in the Dayton peace talks in 1995. In January 1996 he joined the OHR to become Head of the Political Department in March 1997.
Over the last week, all heads of departments in the OHR who were not Deputy High Representatives before, have received this title. With this move the High Representative wanted to underline the confidence he has in his senior staff and reward them for their achievements.