The Office of the High Representative calls for announcements made on Thursday on the appointment and promotion of generals in the Federation Army to be immediately rescinded, and for these appointments and promotions to be suspended until the proper procedures have been followed.
These procedures must include approval in advance of the appointments and promotions by the Commander of SFOR, as set out in a letter from the High Representative and COMSFOR on 21 October 1998.
The purpose of these procedures is clear: to ensure that the commanders of the Entity Armed Forces owe their allegiance to the Constitution alone, are politically and financially independent, and competent to carry out their duties.
As SFOR have made clear, any violation of SFOR’s direction with regard to appointments would be in breach of the General Framework Agreement on Peace, which all Parties are obliged to uphold.
These appointments and promotions should therefore be immediately suspended, failing which SFOR will, with the full support of the Office of the High Representative, be compelled to take appropriate action under Annex 1A of the GFAP to ensure compliance.