UN Security Council renews Bosnia EU force mandate

UNITED NATIONS, Nov 21 (Reuters) The UN Security Council passed a resolution today authorizing an EU peacekeeping force in Bosnia for another year.

The resolution also urged authorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina to meet their commitments under the peace agreement that ended the 1992-95 war, particularly the surrender of suspects to the war crimes tribunal for the former Yugoslavia.

Earlier this year the European Union cut the number of troops in the force, known as EUFOR, from more than 6,000 to around 2,500. The European Union took control of the force from NATO in 2004.

The 1995 Dayton accords that ended the war divided Bosnia into two autonomous parts, the Serb Republic and the Muslim-Croat federation.

The UN Security Council resolution expressed support for the continued role of the Office of the High Representative, a post set up to oversee implementation of the Dayton peace agreement and giving the holder power to sack officials and impose laws.

Tensions have remained since the war and the two entities view each other with suspicion and occasional hostility.

Last month thousands of Bosnian Serbs and their political leaders protested against what they called ''dictatorial'' and ''unnecessary'' meddling by the high representative.

REUTERS TB BST0117