January - ACO - NATO

election day, on 12 December 2010, your presence onthe ground was impressive and provided a very highlevel of security throughout our Area ofResponsibility. No incident occurred due to yourdeterrent presence”. He went on to acknowledge theenhanced level of cooperation with the EuropeanUnion Rule of Law Mission (EULEX) and the KosovoPolice. He expressed his best wishes to all thecommunities of Kosovo. Finally he offered the best ofluck to his successor, Colonel Benoit Roux.When COM KFOR addressed the parade, he praisedMNBG N, under the command of Colonel Barrera, fortheir excellent work during the last four months. Hethen presented the Non Article 5 medal to ColonelBarrera. Immediately following the medal award,COM KFOR conducted the Transfer of Authority fromColonel Barrera to Colonel Roux. In keeping withKFOR tradition, COM KFOR took the flag ofMNBG N from Colonel Barrera and handed it toColonel Roux, who has previously served in BosniaHerzegovina on two occasions, also the Ivory Coast,as well as Kosovo. The handover of the flag is asimple, but highly symbolic and significant gesture. Itis the essence of the handover of command andauthority in a way that words cannot express.On conclusion of the ceremony on the Parade ground,COM KFOR hosted a Press Point for the invitedmedia personnel. Standing together with ColonelBarrera and Colonel Roux, COM KFOR, having madean opening statement, answered the questions of theassembled media. When the Press Point was over, allguests were invited to lunch and that signalled thecompletion of the formal part of the ceremony.KFOR Chronicle, January 201117