Kosovo
Aktuelle Einsätze
OSCE Mission in Kosovo
(OSCE Long-Term Missions)
Beginn: 07/99
Link zum Einsatz
UNMIK
UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UN-Geführt)
Beginn: 06/99
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KFOR
Kosovo Force (UN-Mandatiert)
Beginn: 06/99
Link zum Einsatz
ICO
International Civilian Office Kosovo (EU)
Beginn: 02/08
Link zum Einsatz
EULEX Kosovo
EU Rule of Law Mission Kosovo (EU)
Beginn: 06/08
Link zum Einsatz
EU ministers vow unity on Kosovo (08.09.2007)
(Quelle: BBC) European Union foreign ministers have vowed to remain united on the future of Kosovo if Serbs and ethnic Albanians fail to agree a compromise solution. At a meeting in Portugal, they said differences remained, but a split would undermine EU credibility. The parties - with mediation from the US, the EU and Russia - have until 10 December to agree a deal. The EU is between Russia which opposes a UN plan to give Kosovo independence from Serbia and the US supporting it.
EU warns Serbia to mind its language (07.09.2007)
(Quelle: BIRN) The European Union has warned Serbia that the language used by Belgrade is not helping the process of determining Kosovo’s status. Cristina Gallach, spokeswoman for EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana, said Thursday that recent statements did not respect the agreement reached by representatives of Serbia and the Kosovar Albanians to refrain from using “inflammatory vocabulary”. “They have promised, and they have violated the agreement less than a week after”, said Gallach.
Spectre of partition hunts Kosovo (07.09.2007)
(Quelle: IWPR) Kosovo experts warn that territorial division of province on ethnic lines would open up a Pandora’s Box throughout the region. … While EU seems to be divided regarding considering partition as an option, so too are the US and Russia. … Officially, Kosovo and Serbia have both rejected the idea of partition, though the spirit of rejection is far stronger on the Kosovo side than in Serbia, where many officials and historians have discussed it as a way out of the current impasse.
Police out in force in Pristina (07.09.2007)
(Quelle: Balkan Investigative Reporting Network (BIRN)) Large numbers of police, backed by special units and military police of the NATO-led KFOR peacekeepers, have taken up positions in Pristina’s Dragodan district where most of the international liaison offices are located. The massive presence of law enforcement units began on Thursday night and was continuing on Friday, with many cars, entering the district, being searched. … Balkan Insight sources within the Kosovo Police Service, KPS, said the special security measures were being taken following threats against the Russian liaison office, located in this part of the city.
Serbia says use of force is an option in Kosovo (06.09.2007)
(Quelle: New York Times) Serbia is ready to use force to prevent Western states from recognizing Kosovo as an independent state, a senior Serbian official warned on Wednesday. Dusan Prorokovic, Serbia’s state secretary for Kosovo, outlined an array of tough measures to squeeze Kosovo that he said Serbia was ready to take in the event that Kosovo’s Albanian-dominated government declared independence and was recognized by Western governments. These included the possible deployment of Serbian forces to the province, the sealing of its borders, and a trade embargo.
Serb, Kosovo Albanian officials to meet face-to-face in New York this month (05.09.2007)
(Quelle: Southeast European Times) The first direct talks between Belgrade and Pristina officials will be held in New York on September 28th, Russia's representative in the Contact Group troika, Alexander Bostan-Kharchenko, told the Moscow newspaper Vremya Novostei on Tuesday (September 4th). The talks will start immediately after the next Contact Group meeting on September 27th, the envoy said, adding that he expects 'a breakthrough in the negotiations process' this time.
Switzerland questions military presence in Kosovo (04.09.2007)
(Quelle: B92) The Swiss president says Swiss KFOR soldiers will leave, in case of a unilateral proclamation of independence. “Switzerland’s soldiers can take part in peacekeeping actions abroad only on the basis of UN or OSCE mandates,” Swiss media reported Samuel Schmid as saying on Tuesday. The Swiss contingent within KFOR, also known as Swisscoy, could thus remain in Kosovo even after the proclamation of independence, but only with an appropriate UN resolution in place.
New stage of talks on Kosovo will not end on December 10 (03.09.2007)
(Quelle: Reliefweb) Serbian Minister of Kosovo-Metohija Slobodan Samardzic stated yesterday that the new stage of talks on Kosovo-Metohija will not be concluded on December 10. In a statement to the Tanjug news agency, Samardzic said that if the talks take the course they should, it is quite certain that they will have to continue even after December 10, and representatives of various western countries will have to realise that.
French general takes command of KFOR (02.09.2007)
(Quelle: Southeast European Times) French General Xavier Bout de Marnhac took command of KFOR on Friday (August 31st), replacing Lieutenant General Roland Kather. De Marnhac, who served as deputy commander of KFOR in 2005, is the third French officer to assume KFOR's command.
Kosovo split possible if both sides agree – Russia (31.08.2007)
(Quelle: Reliefweb) Russia will accept a partition of Serbia's Kosovo province if that is what both Belgrade and Kosovo's ethnic Albanian majority agree to, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Friday. … The EU's delegate to the troika said this month a partition of Kosovo could be contemplated if both sides agreed to it, but Russia had not made its position on the issue public.
SRSG announces elections date for Kosovo (31.08.2007)
(Quelle: Reliefweb) Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General in Kosovo (SRSG) Joachim Rücker announced today after meeting with the Team of Unity that Kosovo will hold Municipal and Assembly elections on 17 November. … The announcement of the polling date follows the SRSG’s signing of three regulations on Wednesday governing the elections. The electorate will be choosing Assembly Members, Municipal Assembly Members and, for the first time, will directly elect a mayor for each of Kosovo’s 30 municipalities.
KFOR at same level for next 2 years (29.08.2007)
(Quelle: B92) NATO troops will remain in Kosovo the next two years in the same numbers and with the same mandate. On Tuesday, outgoing KFOR commander and German General Roland Kather addressed a farewell press conference in Priština, saying: 'We will definitely keep the same size of force, the same mandate and the same mission until the status issue is resolved. Afterwards, we will have what the Ahtisaari plan terms the transitional period of 120 days.' 'But I think I can say we will stay without any changes throughout 2007 and 2008.'
Kosovo talks to start anew, but parties express doubt (28.08.2007)
(Quelle: New York Times) The political deadlock over Kosovo’s future is unlikely to be resolved anytime soon despite the start of new negotiations on the province this week, according to two leading politicians involved in the talks. Agim Ceku, Kosovo’s prime minister, and Vuk Jeremic, Serbia’s foreign minister, leading members of the opposing delegations in the talks that begin Wednesday in Vienna, said in recent days that they doubted that a compromise could be reached over the disputed region during the discussions.
Belgrade announces Kosovo team (27.08.2007)
(Quelle: B92) Vuk Jeremić (DS) and Slobodan Samardžić (DSS) will head the government delegation as Kosovo talks continue in Vienna Thursday. The two ministers, in charge of foreign affairs and Kosovo portfolios, will be the negotiating team leaders, while President Boris Tadić and Prime Minister Vojislav Koštunica remain co-chairmen, it was announced Monday afternoon in Belgrade.
Ruling coalition to agree on election rules (22.08.2007)
(Quelle: B92) The government coalition still has not managed to agree on the date for the coming presidential and local elections. The Constitutional Law stipulates that the elections have to be called by the end of the year. With parties still haggling over the system to be applied to the ballot, the outcome is still unclear. The Democratic Party (DS) believes that the majority system should be used, while the Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS) maintains that the proportional method best reflects the voters’ will.
Burns: U.S. wants Kosovo independent this year (22.08.2007)
(Quelle: B92) The United States strongly backs the proposal that Kosovo gains independence in 2007, Nicholas Burns said Tuesday. The U.S. under secretary of state also told reporters his country strived to maintain a whole, united and peaceful Bosnia-Herzegovina.
Breaking the Kosovo stalemate: Europe’s responsibility – new ICG report (21.08.2007)
(Quelle: International Crisis Group (ICG)) Breaking the Kosovo Stalemate: Europe 's Responsibility, the latest report from the International Crisis Group, examines the key role of the EU in ensuring Kosovo's safe transition from its current limbo as an international protectorate. The preferred strategy of bringing Kosovo to supervised independence through the United Nations Security Council has failed, following Russia's declared intention to veto, and a new round of negotiations between Pristina and Belgrade will most likely lead nowhere. This leaves the EU - with the most to lose from renewed violent conflict in the Balkans - before crucial decisions.
Kosovo team reaffirms platform for Vienna talks (21.08.2007)
(Quelle: BIRN) Kosovo’s Unity Team, a group of top politicians tasked with negotiating the territory’s final status, announced on Tuesday that independence and Kosovo’s territorial integrity will be the basic principles of Pristina’s platform during the new negotiations with Belgrade. The team led by Fatmir Sejdiu, Kosovo's President, said its position was based on support for the UN plan for Kosovo drafted by the Finnish diplomat Martti Ahtisaari.
KFOR, UNMIK oppose return of Serbian forces to Kosovo (20.08.2007)
(Quelle: Southeast European Times) In statements at the weekend, NATO and UN officials in Kosovo rejected the possibility of allowing Serbia to send hundreds of soldiers and police to the province. … Kosovo Serbs last week demanded that Belgrade send troops, suggesting that their community might be targets for violence.
French general to replace Kather as KFOR commander (18.08.2007)
(Quelle: Southeast European Times) KFOR Commander Lieutenant General Roland Kather announced on Wednesday (August 15th) he will leave the post on August 31st, to be succeeded by French General Bout de Marnhac.
UNMIK announces the start of election process in Kosovo (17.08.2007)
(Quelle: Southeast European Times) UNMIK deputy chief Steven Schook signed an executive ordinance Thursday (August 16th), authorising the Central Electoral Commission to start preparations for elections in Kosovo. … Separately Thursday, UNMIK spokesman Alexander Ivanko said the date of parliamentary and local elections will be decided early next month.
UN mission starts process for new local elections in Kosovo (16.08.2007)
(Quelle: UN News) The United Nations Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) today kick started the process to conduct new local elections in the province, which the world body has run since western forces drove out Yugoslav troops in 1999 amid ethnic fighting.
KFOR-Kommandant warnt vor Verschlechterung der Lage (KFOR Commander warns :situation could become worse) (14.08.2007)
(Quelle: Der Standard) Der Kommandant der Kosovo-Friedenstruppe KFOR, Roland Kather, hat vor einer Verschlechterung der Lage in der südserbischen Provinz gewarnt. Die Einwohner des Kosovo warteten auf eine Lösung im Konflikt um die Unabhängigkeit der Provinz und ihre Geduld sei begrenzt, sagte Kather am Dienstag der Nachrichtenagentur AP. Der Westen und Russland sollten so bald wie möglich eine Entscheidung treffen. Sollte der angesetzte Verhandlungszeitraum von 120 Tagen zu keinem Ergebnis führen, werde sich die Situation im Kosovo mit Sicherheit verschlechtern, sagte Kather.
Kosovo leaders reject talk of partition (14.08.2007)
(Quelle: BIRN) Kosovo’s top politicians rejected a diplomat’s statement that the disputed province could be split along ethnic lines in order for the Albanian majority to achieve peaceful independence from Serbia.
Busek: Teilung "wahrscheinlich" (Busek : Partition very likely) (14.08.2007)
(Quelle: Der Standard) Einen Tag nachdem der EU-Vertreter in der Kosovo-Troika, Wolfgang Ischinger eine Spaltung des Kosovo nicht mehr ausgeschlossen hat, sagte der stellvertretende Kosovo-Beauftragte der UNO, Albert Rohan, eine Teilung stehe nicht zur Debatte. Ischinger, werde Medienberichte, die dem widersprächen, 'sicherlich entsprechend richtig stellen', sagte Rohan. Die Teilung wäre 'schädlich', weil nur die Hälfte aller Kosovo-Serben im ethnisch relativ homogenen Nordteil der Provinz leben. Für die Serben im Rest des Kosovo würde eine Teilung damit 'nichts bringen.'
Moderate Kosovo Serb concedes independence (14.08.2007)
(Quelle: BIRN) A moderate Kosovo Serb politician on Tuesday said supervised independence is a better solution for the breakaway Serbian province than partition. “I know I will sound like a heretic, but I would rather opt for a supervised independence than for a partition,' Momcilo Trajkovic told Balkan Insight.
Kosovo's Ceku warns of possible pullout from status talks (10.08.2007)
(Quelle: SE Times) Kosovo Prime Minister Agim Ceku issued a stern warning on Wednesday (August 8th) that Pristina may pull out of upcoming talks with Belgrade, in the event it is asked to accept anything less than independence, or to agree to the province's division along ethnic lines.
Kosovo talks unlikely to come to anything (10.08.2007)
(Quelle: BIRN) The latest round of talks over the future status of Kosovo which begin with the arrival of the so-called Troika in Belgrade today are regarded as a charade by all sides. They need to pretend that they might yield a settlement when nobody believes they will, according to key diplomatic and other sources.
Kosovo Troika to visit Belgrade on Friday (08.08.2007)
(Quelle: Southeast Europena Times) The US, EU and Russian mediators for the new round of Kosovo status talks -- Frank Wisner, Wolfgang Ischinger and Alexander Botsan-Kharchenko, respectively -- plan to hold their first meeting with Serbian officials Friday (August 10th). The so-called Kosovo Troika meets Thursday in London with the Contact Group to receive final instructions. On Saturday, Troika members meet with officials in Pristina. The Contact Group has 120 days, or until December 10th, to complete the talks.
Kosovo Albanians set on independence for province: spokesman (07.08.2007)
(Quelle: Reliefweb) Kosovo Albanians are determined not to give way on winning independence in the coming talks over the future status of the UN-administered Serbian province, a Kosovar official said Tuesday. 'The independence of Kosovo ... is a non-negotiable issue,' Skender Hyseni, spokesman for the Kosovar ethnic Albanian negotiating team, told AFP. Hyseni also rejected any possibility of a territorial division of the province or its partition between Belgrade and Pristina.