PRIZREN - Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) will assume the command of Multinational Task Force South (MNTF-S), one of the 5 regional commands of KFOR (led by NATO in Kosovo) for a period of one year.
Germany currently carries out the command of MNTF-S.
Turkish Brigadier-General Ugur Tarcin will take over the command from his German colleague Gen. Erich Preffer at a ceremony which will take place in Prizren on May 29th, 2007.
Turkish Task Force, which presently includes Azerbaijan and Georgian troops, will be reinforced by approximately 300 soldiers. In this period, three UH-1 type general use helicopters will be assigned to the Task Force.
Turkey will hand over the command of the Task Force to Austria in May 2008.
Together with Turkey, currently, troops from Germany, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Georgia and Switzerland are deployed in the area controlled by MNTF-S.
-FIRST COMMAND IN KOSOVO-
This will be the first time that TSK takes over the command of a region since MNTF-S assumed the leadership. TSK has been contributing to KFOR since NATO assumed responsibility in Kosovo in 1999 in order to end the conflict.
Turkish MFA, in an earlier statement has indicated that "TSK is taking on this mission in a period which is significant for the future of Kosovo. This once again emphasizes the importance that Turkey attaches to the restoration of peace and stability in the Balkans. It also confirms that we will continue to meet our commitments regarding international security within the context of Turkey`s candidacy for the UN Security Council for the 2009-2010 term."