Peacekeeping in Albania and Kosovo Conflict Response and International Intervention in the Western Balkans, 1997 - 2002 : Conflict Response and International Intervention in the WesternBalkans, 1997 - 2002

"International interventions in conflict-ridden societies have left a trail of debacles behind. The limited military intervention and the civilian follow-up in Albania after the chaos in 1997 is a positive exception. Peacekeeping in Albania and Kosovo explores the concerted efforts to rebuild and modernize a society marked by its communist past, the failed coup attempt of 1998, and the influx of Kosovan refugees in 1999. In Kosovo, the UN-led international rule and its efforts to rebuild a society from scratch were complicated by many restraining political, financial and administrative factors. This book describes how former political advisories agreed to work together, how a successful multi-ethnic police force was built, how a remarkable demilitarization of former guerrillas was achieved and how political factions came to accept the outcome of the first democratic elections."-- Provided by publisher Title page 4 Copyright page 5 Dedication page 6 Contents 8 Foreword 9 Preface 12 Map 14 Context 15 Chapter 1: Albania: Recoil from the abyss 20 Chapter 2: The unstoppable war 54 Chapter 3: Ethnic revenge 80 Chapter 4: International protectorate I: Starting from scratch 102 Chapter 5: International protectorate II: Preparing for the next phase 140 Chapter 6: Transition to self-rule I: Preparing a constitution and central elections 170 Chapter 7: Transition to self-rule II: Handing over governance 200 Chapter 8: Concluding remarks: Lessons not learned 224 Abbreviations 240 Sources consulted 243 Index 245