Switzerland's Tim Guldimann new Head of OSCE Mission in Kosovo

VIENNA, 1 October 2007 - Tim Guldimann from Switzerland took office today as Head of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo.

The appointment marks Guldimann's return to OSCE service; he was Head of the OSCE Mission in Croatia from 1997 to 1999, and he led the OSCE Assistance Group in Chechnya from 1996 to 1997.

Prior to this posting, he taught at a number of universities in Europe, including the University of Frankfurt, the University of Bern and the College of Europe in Bruges and Warsaw. From 1999 to 2004 he served as Swiss Ambassador in Teheran. Guldimann joined the Swiss diplomatic service in 1982.

Guldimann succeeds Werner Wnendt, who served as Head of the Mission in Kosovo from 2005 to 2007.

The largest OSCE field presence, the Mission in Kosovo was established by the OSCE Permanent Council on 1 July 1999. The OSCE leads Pillar III, Democratization and Institution Building, under the operational framework of the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK).