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The New Zealand flag has been lowered in Bosnia for the last time - ending 15 years of Defence Force peacekeeping in the Balkan nation.
The flag came down in Sarajevo at a ceremony hosted by the commander of the European Union Forces, Rear Admiral Hans-Jochen Witthauer.
The ceremony also included medal presentations to Major Michael Brown, Captain Russel Skeet and Captain Philip Wood, the final New Zealand staff officers to serve in Bosnia.
Admiral Witthauer praised New Zealand's association with Bosnia-Herzegovina as "a long and rewarding one" for its people and for the European forces.
Rear Admiral Jack Steer, commander of Joint Forces New Zealand, said yesterday that almost 1000 New Zealand Defence Force personnel had served and "I am very proud of their efforts".
New Zealand's early contribution to the troubled region focused on peacekeeping and humanitarian efforts, and military observers, staff officers and personnel for liaison and observation teams were sent from 1996 to this year.
- NZPA
