Wolfgang Petritsch
Encyclopedia
Wolfgang Petritsch is an Austria
n diplomat
of Slovene ethnicity. He was born to a Carinthian Slovene family in Klagenfurt
and spent his childhood in a partially Slovene, partially German
-speaking environment. He has a PhD from the University of Vienna
and was a Fulbright Scholar at the University of Southern California
in Los Angeles
. Petritsch’s reflections on international affairs have been published extensively in the world’s leading newspapers and he is the author or co-author of several books, including most recently Bosnia and Herzegovina: From Dayton to Europe and the Long Road to Peace: Kosovo and the International Community, 1989-2004.
stretches back to 1997 when he was appointed Austrian Ambassador to the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. From October 1998 to July 1999 he served as the European Union
’s Special Envoy for Kosovo
and in February and March 1999 as the European Union
’s Chief Negotiator at the Kosovo
peace talks in Rambouillet
and Paris
. Petritsch’s diplomatic career also has seen him serve in Paris
and New York
.
Prior to his appointment as Austria’s Permanent Representative
to the United Nations
in Geneva
, Petritsch served between August 1999 and May 2002 as the High Representative
for Bosnia and Herzegovina
. In this role, Petritsch was the final authority on civilian implementation of the 1995 Dayton Peace Agreement. While living in Bosnia and Herzegovina
– one of the most mine-infested countries in the world – Petritsch witnessed firsthand the humanitarian impact of anti-personnel mines.
, was elected President-Designate of the Mine Ban Convention’s First Review Conference. This event is being referred to as the 2004 Nairobi
Summit on a Mine Free World, given the location of the event and the fact that it will mark the midway point between the Convention’s entry-into-force and the first deadlines for States to have cleared mined areas. In this role, Petritsch is charged with leading the substantive preparations for the Nairobi Summit, including the development of a concrete action plan to complete the job of eliminating anti-personnel mine
s.
He is currently serving as chair of the Board of the European Cultural Foundation
.
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n diplomat
Diplomat
A diplomat is a person appointed by a state to conduct diplomacy with another state or international organization. The main functions of diplomats revolve around the representation and protection of the interests and nationals of the sending state, as well as the promotion of information and...
of Slovene ethnicity. He was born to a Carinthian Slovene family in Klagenfurt
Klagenfurt
-Name:Carinthia's eminent linguists Primus Lessiak and Eberhard Kranzmayer assumed that the city's name, which literally translates as "ford of lament" or "ford of complaints", had something to do with the superstitious thought that fateful fairies or demons tend to live around treacherous waters...
and spent his childhood in a partially Slovene, partially German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
-speaking environment. He has a PhD from the University of Vienna
University of Vienna
The University of Vienna is a public university located in Vienna, Austria. It was founded by Duke Rudolph IV in 1365 and is the oldest university in the German-speaking world...
and was a Fulbright Scholar at the University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. Petritsch’s reflections on international affairs have been published extensively in the world’s leading newspapers and he is the author or co-author of several books, including most recently Bosnia and Herzegovina: From Dayton to Europe and the Long Road to Peace: Kosovo and the International Community, 1989-2004.
Career
Petritsch’s experience in the former YugoslaviaFormer Yugoslavia
The former Yugoslavia is a term used to describe the present day states which succeeded the collapse of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia....
stretches back to 1997 when he was appointed Austrian Ambassador to the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. From October 1998 to July 1999 he served as the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
’s Special Envoy for Kosovo
Kosovo
Kosovo is a region in southeastern Europe. Part of the Ottoman Empire for more than five centuries, later the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija within Serbia...
and in February and March 1999 as the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
’s Chief Negotiator at the Kosovo
Kosovo
Kosovo is a region in southeastern Europe. Part of the Ottoman Empire for more than five centuries, later the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija within Serbia...
peace talks in Rambouillet
Rambouillet
Rambouillet is a commune in the Yvelines department in the Île-de-France in north-central France.It is located in the suburbs of Paris southwest from the center...
and Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. Petritsch’s diplomatic career also has seen him serve in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
and New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
.
Prior to his appointment as Austria’s Permanent Representative
Permanent Representative
A Permanent Representative is the head of a diplomatic mission to one of various international organisations. The best known of the organisations to which states send Permanent Representatives is the United Nations; of these, the most high-profile ones are those assigned to headquarters in New...
to the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
in Geneva
Geneva
Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
, Petritsch served between August 1999 and May 2002 as the High Representative
High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina
The High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina, with the Office of the High Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina, was created in 1995 immediately after the Dayton Peace Agreement to oversee the civilian implementation of this agreement. The High Representative and the OHR represent the...
for Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
. In this role, Petritsch was the final authority on civilian implementation of the 1995 Dayton Peace Agreement. While living in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
– one of the most mine-infested countries in the world – Petritsch witnessed firsthand the humanitarian impact of anti-personnel mines.
Current work
In September 2003, Petritsch, Austria’s Permanent Representative in GenevaGeneva
Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
, was elected President-Designate of the Mine Ban Convention’s First Review Conference. This event is being referred to as the 2004 Nairobi
Nairobi
Nairobi is the capital and largest city of Kenya. The city and its surrounding area also forms the Nairobi County. The name "Nairobi" comes from the Maasai phrase Enkare Nyirobi, which translates to "the place of cool waters". However, it is popularly known as the "Green City in the Sun" and is...
Summit on a Mine Free World, given the location of the event and the fact that it will mark the midway point between the Convention’s entry-into-force and the first deadlines for States to have cleared mined areas. In this role, Petritsch is charged with leading the substantive preparations for the Nairobi Summit, including the development of a concrete action plan to complete the job of eliminating anti-personnel mine
Anti-personnel mine
Anti-personnel mines are a form of land mine designed for use against humans, as opposed to anti-tank mines, which are designed for use against vehicles...
s.
He is currently serving as chair of the Board of the European Cultural Foundation
European Cultural Foundation
The European Cultural Foundation is an independent foundation based in the Netherlands that has been operating across Europe for nearly 60 years. The ECF supports arts and culture in Europe via its activities, programmes, grants and online platforms...
.