April 27, 1999
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April 27, 1999 |
Situation Report
Model United Nations Security Council
Situation Report on the Yugoslavian Republic of Kosovo
Report of the Secretary General
It is my duty under Article 99 of the United Nations Charter to bring to the attention of the Security Council recent events in the Yugoslavian republic of Kosovo that, in my opinion, threaten international peace and security. The cease-fire that was signed in October has broken down with the January 15, 1999 discovery of the bodies of 45 ethnic Albanians in the Kosovo village of Racak. This massacre has been attributed to Serb security forces in the region. Action by the Security Council may be necessary to prevent the return to all out civil war. Such a development would result in the loss of more lives and present a threat to the peace and security of the entire region.
I have already distributed to the members of the Security Council the background paper ÒThe Western Balkans and Kosovo.Ó This situation report includes a summary of recent events and international action in the region, up to and including the recent massacre. I have also included copies of the three existing UN Security Council Resolutions dealing with this situation.
The actions taken by the United Nations in Kosovo will have wide ramifications within the international system. The United Nations is Òbased on the principle of the sovereign equality of all it membersÓ (Article 2, Section 1). Sovereignty has traditionally been understood to give statesÕ the right to order their domestic affairs free from external interference. At the same time, the United Nations Charter recognize that the Òrespect for the principle of equal rights and self-determination of peoplesÓ is a cornerstone of peaceful international relations (Article 1, Section 2).
The situation in Kosovo is reminiscent of many other situations where groups of people seek independence within a sovereign country. The actions taken, or not taken, by the Security Council on the issue of Kosovo will be closely watched by other groups seeking independence as well as by governments trying to keep their countries intact. I recommend that the Security Council consider this larger issue as they consider the particular situation in Kosovo.
I am sure that the Security Council will wish to consider this matter at the earliest possible time in exercise of its primary responsibility for the maintenance of the international peace and security.
Secretary General
Recent Events in Kosovo
The disintegration of Yugoslavia has been a major issue for the past decade. It has led to numerous armed conflicts including the war in Bosnia-Herzegovina in 1992-5 which took over 250,000 lives. The next area of conflict appears to be the republic Kosovo where armed conflict and human rights abuses have been escalating rapidly. This situation report details the recent history of the region along with efforts by the United Nations and other international organizations to contain this conflict.
The background paper ÒThe Western Balkans and KosovoÓ detailed the contentious history of Kosovo, and the events leading up to the dissolution of Yugoslavia. The increasingly nationalistic Serbs and the increasingly independence minded Kosovars have been on a collision course. In 1987, nationalist Slobodan Milosevic became the leader of the Serbian Socialist Party, promising that he would reclaim Kosovo for Serbia. In March of 1989, the Serbian Parliament began to strip Kosovo of their autonomy, returning the police and judiciary to Serbian control. In May of 1989, Milosevic became president of Serbia the largest of YugoslaviaÕs six republics
In July of 1990, the parliament in Kosovo declared their independence from Yugoslavia. Serbia then voted to dissolve the Kosovo parliament and strip Kosovo of their autonomy. This action led to independence votes in three other Yugoslavian republics, Slovenia, Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina.
The removal of KosovoÕs autonomy by the Serbian Parliament led the ethnic Albanians in Kosovo to create a Òparallel government.Ó In May of 1992, writer Ibrahim Rugova was elected as president of the parallel government of Kosovo. President Rugova has pursued a policy of peaceful resistance to the Serbs, including widespread refusal to serve in the police forces, participate in elections or pay taxes.
After three years of peaceful resistance failed to produce concessions from Serbia, Albanian nationalists formed the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA). In 1996, The KLA began a series of violent attacks on ethnic Serbians in Kosovo. During 1996, and 1997, the KLA and the Serbian police exchanged attacks throughout the region, causing many ethnic Albanians to flee to neighboring Albania.
In February and March of 1998, Serbian forces launched a massive assault on ethnic Albanian rebels. During this assault, many Albanian villages were attacked and there were numerous reports of civilian causalities. These attacks led to the first direct international involvement in Kosovo. In April of 1998, the six nation Òcontact groupÓ charged with overseeing peace in the Balkans after the 1992-1995 war in Bosnia-Herzegovina, announced that they would impose sanctions on Yugoslavia unless President Milosevic withdrew Serbian forces and opened unconditional talks on KosovoÕs future.
In conjunction with the contact group the United Nations Security Council passed Resolution 1160, which called on the parties involved to stop hostilities and imposed sanctions on Serbia, forbidding other countries from selling them military arms or training personnel. In addition, resolution 1160 called upon the Secretary General to provide continuing information on the issue.
In May, 1998, Milosevic met with President Rugova in an attempt to forge a political settlement to the situation. Soon after talks began, President Rugova called off further negotiations due to continued Serbian attacks in Kosovo.
In June of 1998, US special envoy, Richard C. Holbrooke met with President Milosevic and President Rugova and threatened NATO intervention if the two sides did not agree to a cease-fire. His efforts were unsuccessful and the fighting continued to increase. In July and August, Serbian forces began a renewed offensive against the KLA, resulting in the capture of the rebel stronghold of Junik and the displacement of hundreds of thousands of ethnic Albanians.
In September, the discovery of 19 ethnic Albanians, believed to have been executed by Serbian police, led NATO to step up plans to launch air-strikes against Serbian targets. The United Nations passed Resolution 1199, calling for an immediate cease fire and the withdrawal of Serbian government forces from Kosovo. In addition, Resolution 1199 called for the introduction of international monitors to assess the situation on the ground and prevent further abuses to the civilian population.
In October of 1998, under the threat of immanent NATO air-strikes, President Milosevic agreed to a cease-fire which included the introduction of 2,000 international inspectors to supervise Serbian troop withdrawals and the return of ethnic Albanians to their homes.
In conjunction with these efforts, the United Nations passed Resolution 1203, calling on the parties involved to abide by the previous resolutions, honor the cease-fire negotiated by the contact group, provide for the presence of unarmed international observers in Kosovo, and provide humanitarian aid to the citizens of Kosovo.
During November and December some Serbian forces were withdrawn from Kosovo, but the pace and amount of these withdrawals were frequently criticized. On January 15, 1999, 45 Kosovar civilians were found massacred outside the village of Racak. The present cease-fire is quickly unraveling, and each day brings further tension and bloodshed to the region. The Security Council must find a way to bring long term stability to the region, consistent with both the right to self-determination and the principle of sovereignty.