NATO in Kosovo
NATO has been leading a peacekeeping operation in Kosovo since June 1999 in support of wider international efforts to build peace and stability in the contested province.
The NATO-led Kosovo Force, or KFOR, deployed in the wake of a 78-day air campaign launched by the Alliance in March 1999 to halt and reverse the humanitarian catastrophe that was then unfolding.
At present, NATO has approximately 15 000 troops deployed in Kosovo. KFOR’s presence remains crucial to guarantee security and stability in Kosovo as the diplomatic process led by the United Nations to define its future status moves forward. The Alliance has promised to support the security provisions of any final settlement.
How are the status talks evolving?
The status talks for the future of Kosovo started in February 2006 and a negotiated settlement is still to be found.
Following the decision to open negotiations on the future status of Kosovo, the United Nations Secretary General nominated a Special Status Envoy in the person of Martti Ahtisaari – a former Finnish president. In March 2007 Mr. Ahtisaari presented his Comprehensive Proposal for the Kosovo Status Settlement to the United Nations Secretary General, in line with the Contact Group Guiding Principles for the Settlement of the Status of Kosovo. In his acompanying Report, Mr. Ahtisaari concluded that Kosovo should become independent under the supervision of the international community. Following the presentation of the Comprehensive Proposal for the Kosovo Status Settlement, discussions at the United Nations Security Council during the summer of 2007 led to the continuation of status negotiations under the auspices of the Contact Group with the appointment of an EU-Russia-US Troika.
