*EPF307 04/19/00
Text: Ortuno Succeeds Reinhardt as KFOR Commander in Kosovo
(EUROCORPS to provide KFOR "command and control") (340)
Lieutenant-General Juan Ortuno of Spain took command of the international security force in Kosovo (KFOR) April 18 from General Klaus Reinhardt of Germany.
Ortuno is commander of EUROCORPS, which a NATO press release said would "provide command and control" for KFOR's 46,000 troops and whose staff would "operate under NATO command in exactly the same manner as the two previous KFOR commands."
Following is the text of the release:
(begin text)
NATO Press Release
KFOR CHANGE OF COMMAND PRISTINA, 18 APRIL 2000
Today, Lieutenant-General Juan Ortuno (Spain) today took command of the Kosovo Force (KFOR) from General Dr. Klaus Reinhardt (Germany). General Reinhardt, who has commanded operations in Kosovo for the past six months, returns to JHQ Centre, Heidelberg, Germany.
General Ortuno who assumes command of KFOR Headquarters began his career as an engineer officer, continued as a paratrooper and special operations commander, and was selected to attend the U. S. Army Command and Staff General College, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.
Following battalion command, General Ortuno was appointed as a military attache in London and Dublin. He later worked in a variety of jobs at the General Staff level and was instrumental in developing the reorganisation plan for the Spanish Army.
General Ortuno was given command of the European Rapid Force (EUROFOR) composed of soldiers from Spain, France, Italy and Portugal. After a successful command of EUROFOR he was given command of the EUROCORPS.
The EUROCORPS will provide the nucleus of the KFOR Headquarters, providing command and control for the 46,000 strong force operating in Kosovo. The well-orchestrated and seamless transfer of command will ensure a smooth transition between commanders. The EUROCORPS staff will operate under NATO command in exactly the same manner as the two previous KFOR commands.
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(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
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