Kosovo Verification Mission
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

The OSCE Kosovo Verification Mission (KVM) was an
OSCE The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) is a regional security-oriented intergovernmental organization comprising member states in Europe, North America, and Asia. Its mandate includes issues such as arms control, the pr ...
mission to verify that the
Serbian Serbian may refer to: * Pertaining to Serbia in Southeast Europe; in particular **Serbs, a South Slavic ethnic group native to the Balkans ** Serbian language ** Serbian culture **Demographics of Serbia, includes other ethnic groups within the co ...
and Yugoslav forces were complying with the UNSC Resolution 1203 and the
Clark-Naumann agreement The Clark-Naumann agreement between NATO and FR Yugoslavia (FRY) provided for the partial withdrawal of FRY forces (VJ) and Serbian forces (MUP) from the Autonomous Province of Kosovo, the limitation of new forces, and deployment of OSCE verifiers ...
, to end atrocities in
Kosovo Kosovo, officially the Republic of Kosovo, is a landlocked country in Southeast Europe with International recognition of Kosovo, partial diplomatic recognition. It is bordered by Albania to the southwest, Montenegro to the west, Serbia to the ...
, withdraw armed forces from Kosovo, and abide by a ceasefire. The mission was deployed on 25 October 1998, withdrawn in March 1999 and was closed on 9 June 1999.


Remit

The KVM's job was to monitor parties' compliance with the agreement, to report any breaches to the OSCE, and to help affected civilians in Kosovo. Other requirements included: * To report on roadblocks; * To oversee elections; * To ensure that independent and fair police service was set up.


Operations

United States diplomat William Walker was appointed head of the mission; he was relatively senior, reflecting the importance that NATO put on a peaceful settlement. His deputy was Gabriel Keller. Despite being much larger and more complex than any previous OSCE mission, the KVM was put together relatively quickly; parts of the team arrived in Kosovo a month after the 16 October agreement. The KVM was divided into five regions, with a headquarters in
Pristina Pristina or Prishtina ( , ), . is the capital and largest city of Kosovo. It is the administrative center of the eponymous municipality and District of Pristina, district. In antiquity, the area of Pristina was part of the Dardanian Kingdo ...
. Immediately after the Agreement, neither side adhered to the ceasefire; state loyalist forces continued to shoot at civilians, and there were sporadic KLA attacks on state forces. When a KVM team arrived at the scene of the
Račak massacre The Račak massacre () or Račak operation () was the massacre of 45 Kosovo Albanians that took place in the village of Račak () in central Kosovo in January 1999. The massacre was perpetrated by Serbian security forces in response to Albani ...
, they found "36 bodies 23 of which were lying in a ditch". An independent Finnish forensic investigation established that the bodies had evidence of ballistic gunshot trauma from a distance and traces of gunpowder residue on their hands, suggesting that they were killed as a result of a skirmish with Yugoslav police force.


Operation Eagle Eye

Operation Eagle Eye was part of the Kosovo Verification Mission during the
Kosovo War The Kosovo War (; sr-Cyrl-Latn, Косовски рат, Kosovski rat) was an armed conflict in Kosovo that lasted from 28 February 1998 until 11 June 1999. It ...
using aircraft were contributed by
France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
,
Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...
,
Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...
,
Netherlands , Terminology of the Low Countries, informally Holland, is a country in Northwestern Europe, with Caribbean Netherlands, overseas territories in the Caribbean. It is the largest of the four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Nether ...
, the UK, and the
USA The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 contiguous ...
. Beginning on 17 October 1998. The aim was to monitor the federal Yugoslav government's compliance with
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1199 United Nations Security Council resolution 1199, adopted on 23 September 1998, after recalling Resolution 1160 (1998), the Council demanded that the Albanian and Yugoslav parties in Kosovo end hostilities and observe a ceasefire. Background T ...
, and in particular the withdrawal of armed forces from
Kosovo Kosovo, officially the Republic of Kosovo, is a landlocked country in Southeast Europe with International recognition of Kosovo, partial diplomatic recognition. It is bordered by Albania to the southwest, Montenegro to the west, Serbia to the ...
and compliance with the ceasefire. The monitors comprised 1,400 ground observers. As a result of Yugoslav troop activities and other forms of non-compliance, the ground observers withdrew citing "an unacceptable level of risk to the peace support verification mission" resulting in an end to aerial verification on 24 March 1999.


Withdrawal

In March 1999, together with the
Rambouillet Agreement The Rambouillet Agreement, formally the Interim Agreement for Peace and Self-Government in Kosovo, was a proposed peace agreement between the delegation of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and the Republic of Serbia on the one hand and the del ...
which the Serbian government refused to sign (just as NATO refused the terms for a diplomatic settlement proposed by Serbia), there was an increase in ceasefire violations by both sides as well as NATO threats of airstrikes against Serbia; as the risks increased, it was decided, against the objections of Serbia, to withdraw the KVM to
Ohrid Ohrid ( ) is a city in North Macedonia and is the seat of the Ohrid Municipality. It is the largest city on Lake Ohrid and the eighth-largest city in the country, with the municipality recording a population of over 42,000 inhabitants as of ...
in
Macedonia Macedonia (, , , ), most commonly refers to: * North Macedonia, a country in southeastern Europe, known until 2019 as the Republic of Macedonia * Macedonia (ancient kingdom), a kingdom in Greek antiquity * Macedonia (Greece), a former administr ...
. Yugoslav forces' reaction to the withdrawal was "remarkably docile" and the KVM was downsized to 250 staff. Then, after the KVM had left, according to the U.S. State Department, state forces “launched a significant operation against KLA osovo Liberation Armyforces,” and on March 23 “targeted” Pristina, Pec, and other cities “for ethnic cleansing”. Allegedly as a result, on 24 March NATO started its bombing campaign in what remained of Yugoslavia. After the start of the bombing, the Serb campaign of ethnic cleansing and other atrocities went into full effect. Refugees fled to
Albania Albania ( ; or ), officially the Republic of Albania (), is a country in Southeast Europe. It is located in the Balkans, on the Adriatic Sea, Adriatic and Ionian Seas within the Mediterranean Sea, and shares land borders with Montenegro to ...
,
Macedonia Macedonia (, , , ), most commonly refers to: * North Macedonia, a country in southeastern Europe, known until 2019 as the Republic of Macedonia * Macedonia (ancient kingdom), a kingdom in Greek antiquity * Macedonia (Greece), a former administr ...
, and
Montenegro , image_flag = Flag of Montenegro.svg , image_coat = Coat of arms of Montenegro.svg , coa_size = 80 , national_motto = , national_anthem = () , image_map = Europe-Mont ...
; many refugees had their documents destroyed. In April 1999, the OSCE decided that the KVM should help deal with the refugee chaos; 70 verifiers were sent to
Tirana Tirana ( , ; ) is the capital and List of cities and towns in Albania, largest city of Albania. It is located in the centre of the country, enclosed by mountains and hills, with Dajti rising to the east and a slight valley to the northwest ov ...
, where they helped coordinate disaster-response and interviewed refugees. The mission was formally closed on 9 June 1999, leaving behind a residual OSCE Task Force for Kosovo to prepare for a longer term OSCE Mission in Kosovo which was established on 1 July 1999.https://www.osce.org/files/f/documents/e/9/28926.pdf


See also

* OSCE Mission in Kosovo


References


External links


OSCE Kosovo Verification Mission
{{OSCE Kosovo War Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe