Analysis of the role of the international community in resolving conflict in Kosovo

Abstract

The international community plays an essential role in resolving conflict in Kosovo. Military intervention in the conflict was undertaken by the international community in the spring 1999 as a response on violence and ethnic cleanings conducted by the Serbian forces in the province. A peace agreement has been signed after dozen weeks of air operation. From this time onwards the international community have been responsible for the peace-building process in Kosovo. Recently the most essential issue is the question of the final status of the province. This is supposed to be achieved under the supervision of the international community in order to establish peace and security in this former Yugoslav province. In this study I aim to examine and analyse involvement of the entire international community as well as its components in the Kosovo conflict. In my elaboration I explain changing attitudes, objectives and tasks, which were undertaken by international actors in the course of the conflict. In order to understand better the contemporary conflict in Kosovo I start with explanation of deep roots of the conflict. I provide with the overview of history of the Serbo-Albanian relations in the province and alternate it with different factors that contributed to the conflict. In the next chapter, I present theoretical approach to the conflict management and the third party intervention. Furthermore, I illustrate the role of the international community in the conflict resolution process. Subsequently, I provide with case study on intervention of the international community in the Kosovo conflict. Moreover, I present negotiations on ending the war and present the aims of the international community in the peace-building process. In the last chapter, I explain the role of the international community in post-war Kosovo. With regard to this I examine the peace-building operation under the international supervision. I conclude with discussion on the issue of the final status of Kosovo and the attitude of the international community towards this question.