Vienna  - The Austrian diplomat Valentin Inzko has been designated as the next international high representative for Bosnia, Austria's Foreign Ministry confirmed Wednesday.

Succeeding Miroslav Lajcak, who is also Slovakia's foreign minister, Inzko will have the job of overseeing the 1995 Dayton peace agreement, while also mediating between the Croatian, Muslim and Serb ethnic groups.

The 55 countries of the agreement's Peace Implementation Council could formally appoint Inzko by the end of March, according to the Foreign Ministry. Inzko was also set to be named the European Union's special representative in Bosnia.

Inzko, 59, was Austria's first post-war ambassador in Bosnia from 1996 to 1998 and currently represents his country in Slovenia. He belongs to Austria's Slovenian minority population.

To separate the hostile ethnic groups, the war-ending Dayton peace agreement established the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina on one hand and the Serb Republic on the other, along with a weak central administration. (dpa)