Download "Kosovo: The Diplomatic and Military Options"
2 Recent Library Research Papers include: List of 15 most recent RPs 98/78 EMU: the constitutional implications /79 Child Benefit /80 Voting Systems - The Government's Proposals (2 nd revised edition) /81 Cancellation of Third World Debt /82 Working Time Regulations SI 1998 No /83 Unemployment by Constituency - July /84 Fireworks /85 House of Lords reform: developments since the general election /86 Parliamentary Pay and Allowances: Current Rates /87 The Criminal Justice (Terrorism & Conspiracy) Bill Bill 244 of /88 Unemployment by Constituency - August /89 Democracy in Russia /90 Unemployment by Constituency - September /91 The Strategic Defence Review White Paper /92 The Reform of the European Structural Funds and the Cohesion Fund Research Papers are available as PDF files: to members of the general public on the Parliamentary web site, URL: within Parliament to users of the Parliamentary Intranet, URL: Library Research Papers are compiled for the benefit of Members of Parliament and their personal staff. Authors are available to discuss the contents of these papers with Members and their staff but cannot advise members of the general public.
3 Summary of main points Fighting in Kosovo between the separatist Kosova Liberation Army (KLA) and the predominantly Serb forces of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY) continued throughout the summer months. In July FRY forces launched an offensive against the badly equipped and trained KLA, regaining at least temporary control of much of the province. The fighting has impacted severely on the civilian population and has displaced around 250,000 refugees. The use of scorched earth tactics by Yugoslav forces has resulted in the destruction of homes, food supplies and livestock, raising fears of an impending humanitarian disaster during the winter. As the government offensive continued, international pressure on President Slobodan Milosevic increased. The UN Security Council demanded that FRY forces withdraw from the province and called for negotiations between Belgrade and the ethnic Albanian leadership, but disagreements on the use of force remained. Russia and China strongly opposed military action, whereas Western leaders believed that Milosevic would only bow to the demands of the UN if faced with the immediate threat of air strikes. In late October NATO increased the pressure on Belgrade by proposing a wide-ranging air campaign against the FRY, while the US special envoy, Richard Holbrooke, held intensive talks with Milosevic. On 12 October, as NATO ministers authorised air strikes to start in four days, Holbrooke announced he had obtained an undertaking from Milosevic to comply with the demands of the UN Security Council. The main aspect of the agreement relates to a political settlement to the crisis. The timetable agreed with Milosevic is for agreement to be reached by 2 November on the core elements of a political settlement, based on a paper proposed by the Contact Group. By 9 November rules and procedures will have been drawn up for elections, which are to be held within nine months under OSCE supervision. Two further agreements have been signed to assist with verification of the planned reduction of FRY forces in Kosovo to pre-conflict levels. Verification from the air will be conducted by NATO reconnaissance planes, possibly with Russian involvement. On the ground, a 2000-strong "verification force" will be deployed under the auspices of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). On 24 October the Security Council endorsed the agreements reached with Belgrade, but did not give explicit authorisation for action by NATO forces if the FRY fails to comply with UN demands. To maintain the pressure on Milosevic NATO imposed an extended deadline of 27 October for Belgrade to comply or face air strikes. Further talks between Milosevic and NATO commanders yielded an agreement governing the required scale of withdrawals by government forces, but a number of doubts remained over the issue of Belgrade's compliance and the possible reaction of the KLA.