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KFOR Change of Command |
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Pristina, 18 April 2000 |
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Today,
Lieutenant-General Juan Ortuño (Spain) today took command of the Kosovo Force
(KFOR) from General Dr. Klaus Reinhardt (Germany). General Reinhardt, who has
commanded operations in Kosovo for the past six months, returns to JHQ
Centre, Heidelberg, Germany. General
Ortuño who assumes command of KFOR Headquarters began his career as an
engineer officer, continued as a paratrooper and special operations commander,
and was selected to attend the U. S. Army Command and Staff General College,
Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. Following
battalion command, General Ortuño was appointed as a military attach in
London and Dublin. He later worked in a variety of jobs at the General Staff
level and was instrumental in developing the reorganisation plan for the
Spanish Army. General
Ortuño was given command of the European Rapid Force (EUROFOR) composed of
soldiers from Spain, France, Italy and Portugal. After a successful command
of EUROFOR he was given command of the EUROCORPS. The
EUROCORPS will provide the nucleus of the KFOR Headquarters, providing
command and control for the 46,000 strong force operating in Kosovo. The
well-orchestrated and seamless transfer of command will ensure a smooth
transition between commanders. The EUROCORPS staff will operate under NATO
command in exactly the same manner as the two previous KFOR commands. |
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Welcome Message by General Juan Ortuño,
Commander KFOR, to the Readers of KFOR Online |
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Pristina, 18 April 2000 |
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On
18th April 2000 the Headquarters Eurocorps staff took over from LANDCENT
(Land Forces Central Europe) as the nucleus of the KFOR Headquarters that
commands the NATO-led Peacekeeping Force in KOSOVO. As a large part of its
personnel have previous "peacekeeping experience" with IFOR or
SFOR, and after thorough preparation, the Eurocorps staff is well prepared
and ready for its mission. Working
in close co-operation with UNMIK and other governmental and non-governmental
organisations, in difficult circumstances, KFOR has achieved remarkable
results since NATO troops first moved into Kosovo in June 1999. Tribute must
be paid to the men and women of the ACE Rapid Reaction Corps (ARRC) and of
LANDCENT, as well as to Lieutenant General Sir Mike Jackson and General Dr.
Klaus Reinhardt, their respective commanders. Since
the mission remains unchanged, the keyword for all our future actions will be
"continuity". Indeed we will continue to act in accordance with the
same guiding principles, and we will maintain the same objectives as our
predecessors. With the same resolve and impartiality, we will continue to
monitor, verify - and if necessary - enforce compliance with the provisions
of the UN Security Council Resolution and other agreements. By doing so, we
will continue to make every effort to maintain a secure environment, thus
enabling UNMIK, OSCE and other international organisations to do their jobs.
As with ARRC and LANDCENT before us, we will support these organisations with
all the means at our disposal. Moreover,
Eurocorps' commitment within the NATO Chain of Command comes at a crucial
moment for Kosovo. Now that the harsh winter is over, the time has come to begin
the real economic, social and political reconstruction of this province. This
is the moment at which the active involvement and commitment of local
communities, the most fundamental level of society, are of paramount
importance. Our support to the municipal elections is therefore a priority.
Together with all the other organisations supporting the UN mission, KFOR
will also encourage local initiatives, and contribute to the reconstruction
effort in every way possible. This
mission is a challenge that we are proud to take up. Our presence will help
all the peoples of Kosovo - regardless of origin - to achieve what they
deserve: a peaceful life, improved living conditions, growing trust and
understanding, and a better future for their children. This
website, which was established by our predecessors, provides up-to-date
information on the structure and activities of KFOR. It also contains
information on the historical and geographical background of the region, as
well as useful links to other Kosovo-related websites. Lieutenant-General
Juan Ortuño |
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Eurocorps Assumes Command of KFOR |
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Text: Maj. Kristian Kahrs |
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Pristina,
19 April 2000: After six months as the commanding general of KFOR,
German General Dr. Klaus Reinhardt handed over the command of over 45,000
peacekeepers from 39 different countries in Kosovo to Spanish Lieutenant
General Juan Ortuño on Tuesday. General
Ortuño assumed command of the Eurocorps on Nov. 26 last year, and he brought
a staff of 350 men and women to KFOR HQ in Pristina.
On
8 October 1999, Headquarters Allied Land Forces Central Europe LANDCENT
assumed command KFOR. Now, Eurocorps will have the task of providing the
nucleus of the new KFOR HQ. Even
if a new staff assumes command of KFOR, nothing will change in the chain of
command. "I
only have one boss, and that is the Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR),
and General Ortuño will also have the same boss," Reinhardt said when he
met the press on Monday.
"There
should be no difference and there will be no difference. Nothing has changed
in the chain of command," Reinhardt said adding that he was confident
that Ortuño would continue to build a safe and secure environment for all
Kosovars regardless ethnicity. Reinhardt
also stated that the KFOR mission has been a great success despite the
remaining challenges in building democratic institutions. For
more information about Eurocorps, please visit http://www.eurocorps.com. |
http://www.kforonline.com/