Kosovo Verification Mission

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The Kosovo Verification Mission (KVM) was a mission of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in Kosovo , the aim of which was, among other things, the monitoring of police activities and the verification of the freedom of movement of observers and humanitarian organizations.

The establishment of the mission was decided on October 25, 1998 by the Permanent Council of the OSCE on the basis of Resolution 1203 of the UN Security Council of October 24, 1998. Details of the mission were regulated in the Agreement between the OSCE and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia of October 16, 1998.

At that time Kosovo was the most dangerous trouble spot in Europe . Spreading of the conflict to neighboring areas and countries threatened to destabilize an entire region and thereby impair the security of Europe.

For years, Kosovar Albanian asylum applications have been increasing ; the outbreak of open fighting in February / March 1998 caused their number to rise massively. Not least because of this development, Europe had an urgent interest in the permanent stability of Kosovo and wanted to contribute to this by supporting the OSCE mission.

Cornerstones

  • Multinational unarmed observer and verification mission in Kosovo
  • Goals: monitoring the cessation of military actions and attacks on the civilian population in accordance with Resolution 1199 of the UN Security
  • Very high risk potential through active acts of war, intensive military and criminal activities

Strength

The KVM should include a maximum of 2000 unarmed and uniformed people. In fact, a significantly lower mission strength (approx. 1400 participants) was achieved. Nevertheless, at this point in time it was by far the largest of all previous OSCE missions.

Planned composition:

Numerous mission members from all three areas were entrusted with administrative tasks (e.g. organization, finances, IT, etc.). A large number of local people were recruited to support the mission (including translators, drivers, secretaries, and technicians).

Mission end

The head of the mission, the American diplomat and former head of UNTAES William Walker , was declared persona non grata by the Yugoslav authorities after a report about a massacre allegedly carried out by Yugoslav special forces near Račak on January 15, 1999 .

After the failure of the Rambouillet negotiations , the Kosovo Verification Mission was evacuated to Macedonia on March 20, 1999 . On the night of March 24-25, 1999, NATO began its Air Offensive Operation Allied Force against Yugoslavia, which lasted 78 days. Parts of the mission remained in Macedonia and Albania and were used to work with refugees and to investigate human rights violations. By resolution of June 8, 1999, the mission was dissolved and replaced by the "OSCE Task Force" .

Web links

Individual references, comments

  1. ↑ Kosovo Verification Mission set up - OSCE Communication of October 25, 1998
  2. ^ Head of Kosovo Verification Mission declared "persona non grata" - OSCE communication of 19 January 1999