UNITED NATIONS EXTENDS EUROPEAN UNION'S PEACEKEEPING MISSION IN BOSNIA

NEW YORK, United Nations (October 21,2008) - - The U.N. Security Council voted unanimously yesterday to extend the European Union's peacekeeping force in Bosnia for a year, emphasizing the importance of the country's progress towards Euro-Atlantic integration.

Since 1995,the country has been under international administration, first under NATO and now under the EU.

The resolution was approved unanimously late yesterday, and welcomed the EU's intention to retain its 2,100-strong military presence, known as EUFOR, in the country.

The U.N. Security Council also reminded Bosnia's politicians that it is primarily their responsibility to implement the Dayton peace agreement that ended the 1992-1995 Serbian,Montenegrin and Croatian agressions against Bosnia.

The council stressed that international willingness to provide political, military and economic aid to Bosnia will be determined by the compliance and active participation by Bosnia's political leaders in maintaining peace and rebuilding the country.

The resolution also emphasizes the importance of Bosnia's progress towards Euro-Atlantic integration, saying that its signing of a pre-membership agreement with the EU in marked a key step forward.
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