The Road to Independence for Kosovo : A Chronicle of the Ahtisaari Plan

This book tells the story of Kosovo's independence, from the periodic bloodshed of the twentieth century to the diplomacy that led to a determination of Kosovo's final status as a state in 2008. Kosovo declared its independence from Serbia in February 2008, over the objection of Serbia and Russia. This culminated in more than a hundred years of, sometimes violent, resistance to what the majority Albanian population considered to be 'occupation' by foreign forces - first those of the Ottoman Empire, then those of Serbia, and finally by the United Nations. Kosovo's independence was the product of careful diplomacy, orchestrated by the United States and leading members of the European Union, under a framework brokered by former Finnish president Martti Ahtisaari, who subsequently won the Nobel Prize for Peace. This book tells the story of Kosovo's independence, ranging from the periodic bloodshed of the twentieth century to the diplomacy that led to a determination of Kosovo's final status as a state in 2008. Kosovo declared its independence from Serbia in February 2008 over the objections of Serbia and Russia. This culminated more than one hundred years of sometimes violent resistance to what the majority Albanian population considered to be?occupation? by foreign forces ¿s first those of the Ottoman Empire, then those of Serbia, and finally by the United Nations. Kosovo's independence was the product of careful diplomacy, orchestrated by the United States and leading members of the European Union, under a framework brokered by former Finnish President Martti Ahtisaari, who subsequently won the Nobel Prize for Peace. Henry H. Perritt, Jr., is a Professor of Law and former Dean of Chicago-Kent College of Law. He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and the board of directors of the Chicago Council on Global Affairs. He served on President Clinton's Transition Team and in the Ford administration, during which time he was on the White House staff and later was Deputy Under Secretary of Labor. He was a Democratic candidate for the U.S. Congress in 2002. Perritt is the author of more than ninety law review articles and fifteen books on international relations and law, technology and law, and employment law, most recently Kosovo Liberation Army: The Inside Story of an Insurgency. He also wrote You Took Away My Flag ¿s A Musical About Kosovo, which opened in Chicago in 2009 Half-title......Page 3 Title......Page 5 Copyright......Page 6 Contents......Page 7 Acknowledgments......Page 9 Introduction......Page 13 1 Riots in Kosovo......Page 17 2 Albanian Resentment Comes to a Boil......Page 25 3 Armed Conflict Grows......Page 43 4 Cease-Fire Breaks Down......Page 53 5 Establishing the United Nations’ First Colony......Page 63 6 Living Under a Colonial Regime......Page 75 7 Responding to the Wake-Up Call......Page 91 8 The Politics of Purgatory......Page 103 9 Enter Martti Ahtisaari......Page 123 10 The Stage for Final Status......Page 131 11 “Practical” Negotiations......Page 153 12 Negotiations over Status Itself......Page 169 13 The Ahtisaari Plan......Page 175 14 The Plan Runs into Trouble......Page 183 15 The Troika Takes Over......Page 203 16 Independence Day......Page 223 Democracy......Page 233 International Politics......Page 235 Domestic Politics......Page 242 Ethnic Tolerance......Page 249 Economy......Page 253 Corruption......Page 261 Security......Page 262 Conclusion......Page 265 18 Implications for the International Order......Page 267 Russia......Page 268 Serbia......Page 273 Transatlantic Diplomacy......Page 276 International Law......Page 281 Violence......Page 285 UN Security Council......Page 287 Conclusion......Page 290 Glossary of Acronyms......Page 291 Bibliography......Page 295 Index......Page 301 Half-title 3 Title 5 Copyright 6 Contents 7 Acknowledgments 9 Introduction 13 1 Riots in Kosovo 17 2 Albanian Resentment Comes to a Boil 25 3 Armed Conflict Grows 43 4 Cease-Fire Breaks Down 53 5 Establishing the United Nations’ First Colony 63 6 Living Under a Colonial Regime 75 7 Responding to the Wake-Up Call 91 8 The Politics of Purgatory 103 9 Enter Martti Ahtisaari 123 10 The Stage for Final Status 131 11 “Practical” Negotiations 153 12 Negotiations over Status Itself 169 13 The Ahtisaari Plan 175 14 The Plan Runs into Trouble 183 15 The Troika Takes Over 203 16 Independence Day 223 17 Kosovo’s Future 233 Democracy 233 International Politics 235 Domestic Politics 242 Ethnic Tolerance 249 Economy 253 Corruption 261 Security 262 Conclusion 265 18 Implications for the International Order 267 Russia 268 Serbia 273 Transatlantic Diplomacy 276 International Law 281 Intelligence 285 Violence 285 UN Security Council 287 Conclusion 290 Glossary of Acronyms 291 Bibliography 295 Index 301

This book tells the story of Kosovo's independence, from the periodic bloodshed of the twentieth century to the diplomacy that led to a determination of Kosovo's final status as a state in 2008. Kosovo declared its independence from Serbia in February 2008, over the objection of Serbia and Russia. This culminated more than a hundred years of sometimes violent resistance to what the majority Albanian population considered to be occupation by foreign forces - first those of the Ottoman Empire, then those of Serbia, and finally by the United Nations. Kosovo's independence was the product of careful diplomacy, orchestrated by the United States and leading members of the European Union, under a framework brokered by former Finnish president Martti Ahtisaari, who subsequently won the Nobel Prize for Peace.

"This book tells the story of Kosovo's independence, ranging from the periodic bloodshed of the twentieth century to the diplomacy that led to a determination of Kosovo's final status as a state in 2008. Kosovo declared its independence from Serbia in February 2008 over the objections of Serbia and Russia. This culminated more than one hundred years of sometimes violent resistance to what the majority Albanian population considered to be "occupation" by foreign forces - first those of the Ottoman Empire, then those of Serbia, and finally by the United Nations This 2009 book tells the story of Kosovo's independence, from the periodic bloodshed of the twentieth century to the diplomacy that led to a determination of Kosovo's final status as a state in 2008. Kosovo declared its independence from Serbia in February 2008, over the objection of Serbia and Russia. This culminated in more than a hundred years of, sometimes violent, resistance to what the majority Albanian population considered to be 'occupation' by foreign forces - first those of the Ottoman Empire, then those of Serbia, and finally by the United Nations