The Bosnian war ended not by peace-keeping, nor by war making, even if a military intervention was requested, but by political-engineering: the creation of the Bosnian-Croat Federation (1994) and the General Framework Agreement for Peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina (1995). If pacification and normalization were the first aims, Bosnia and Herzegovina is now engaged in a complex transition and integration process. But after six years of international presence, Bosnia and Herzegovina is still an aid-dependent country, and most aspects of social, political and economic life are now matters of the international protectorate-type intervention. In order to overcome this situation, foreign involvement will remain a pre-requisite, but it must absolutely address Bosnian self-government and ownership with an adequate strategy. After a first period of military stabilization and reconstruction (1995-1997), and a second one of a quasi-protectorate characterized by a strong use of the powers of the High Representative (1997-2000), the main challenge of the third period - now under way - is to enable a transition from an international soft-protectorate to a sustainable and sovereign Bosnian state. The High Representative Wolfgang Petritsch focuses international power precisely in support of state-building objectives and works for the Bosnian ownership of a new local institutional environment which is capable of taking responsibility for the new state. Aware that as long as the international community determines politics in Bosnia and Herzegovina to a large degree, it will inhibit the mature growth of Bosnian institutions, ownership is since 1999 a priority for the High Representative, Wolfgang Petritsch. His initiative - from July 19, 2001 - to set up a consultative Partnership Forum to discuss urgent issues of the peace implementation as well as to support the Bosnian state institutions and a Civic Forum in order to enable discussions with citizens are both intended precisely to decisively enhance the ownership process in Bosnia & Herzegovina. Further, the re-calibrated presence of the IC and, mainly, the High Representative’s Action Plan - December 2001 and March 2002 - are providing timelines for the transition of the ownership to the Bosnian authorities. This represents a breakthrough in the ownership process. In the coming year, Bosnia and Herzegovina has to move from partnership with the International Community to complete ownership of the political process.