Zeljko Komsic of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), who represents the Croat people, Nebojsa Radmanovic of the the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats (SNSD , as the Serb representative, and Bakir Izetbegovic of the Party of the Democratic Action (SDA), as the Bosnian Muslim (Bosniak) representative, were sworn in for a four-year mandate at a ceremony held in Sarajevo in the presence of foreign diplomats.

Komsic and Radmanovic were re-elected to this post, while Bakir Izetbegovic defeated Haris Silajdzic in the elections.

The new Presidency will be first chaired by Radmanovic. The chairmanship rotates every eight months.

Addressing the ceremony, Radmanovic said that he would strive for the integration of Bosnia and Herzegovina into the European Union. However, he fell short of mentioning plans for the country's admission to NATO, advocated by the other two Presidency members.

Radmanovic's SNSD party, led by Bosnian Serb Prime Minister Milorad Dodik, has shown reservations regarding the possibility of Bosnia and Herzegovina joining NATO.

Zeljko Komsic said he would be committed to the full equality of the Croats in Bosnia and Herzegovina and to the rights of all citizens in the country.

Bakir Izetbegovic recalled words of his father, the late Alija Izetbegovic, the country's first president, about Bosnia not being only a piece of land in the Balkans but also an idea.

"This is about the conviction that people of different faiths, ethnicity and heritage can live together," Bakir Izetbegovic said.

Both Komsic and Izetbegovic announced efforts to strengthen cooperation with neighbouring countries.