King Juan Carlos honours Spanish troops in Bosnia

King Juan Carlos of Spain has visited Bosnia-Hercegovina to see Spanish troops serving as part of the international Stabilization Force.

The King, whose visit coincided with his sixtieth birthday, was met on his arrival in Mostar by the General Secretary of NATO, Javier Solana, and the international envoy to Bosnia, Carlos Westendorp, both of whom are former Spanish Foreign Ministers.

Accompanied by Spanish Defence Minister Eduardo Serra, the King laid flowers at a monument in central Mostar honouring the eighteen Spanish soldiers who have died while serving in Bosnia.

On his return to Madrid the King will attend a special concert in his honour by the Three Tenors --Jose Carreras, Placido Domingo and Luciano Pavarotti.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service