Response of the international community: The UN Notes

The Response of the UN and the International Community

NATO Intervention and the Rambouillet Talks

1. Račak as the catalyst for action
   1. The massacre at Račak became a turning point, pushing Western governments toward decisive intervention in Kosovo.
   2. It marked the beginning of Europe’s largest air campaign since World War II.
2. Operation Allied Force (March–June 1999)
   1. NATO’s intervention lasted 78 days and was carried out entirely through air strikes.
   2. No NATO ground troops entered Kosovo during the campaign.
3. Diplomatic urgency
   1. Before launching the intervention, the U.S. and key NATO allies pushed for a political solution.
   2. The Rambouillet peace talks in early 1999 reflected this urgency.
4. The Rambouillet talks
   1. Held at the Château de Rambouillet near Paris, they included representatives from Serbia, Kosovo Albanian leaders, and Western powers.
   2. Under pressure, the Kosovo Albanians eventually signed the proposed agreement.
   3. The Serbian delegation, led by Milan Milutinović but controlled by Slobodan Milošević, refused.
   4. They argued that provisions, especially the deployment of NATO forces across Yugoslavia, were a violation of national sovereignty.

Perspectives on the Rambouillet Accords and NATO Intervention

1. Criticism of Rambouillet Accords
   1. Activist and writer Richard Becker argued that the accords were designed as an ultimatum rather than a genuine peace proposal.
   2. He described the Rambouillet talks as a sham, a disguised ultimatum rather than a real negotiation.
   3. Becker concluded that the Rambouillet Accords were essentially a “declaration of war disguised as a peace agreement.”
2. Madeleine Albright’s stance
   1. As U.S. Secretary of State, Albright took a pragmatic and interventionist position.
   2. She expressed frustration with the lack of control the international community had over the Balkan conflict but strongly supported Rambouillet as necessary to avoid further violence.
   3. She famously described the international community as “gerbils running on a wheel,” highlighting both her impatience with slow progress and her commitment to decisive action.
3. Failure of Serbia to sign
   1. Despite the goal of peace, Serbia’s refusal to sign the accords provided a diplomatic justification for NATO to proceed with military intervention.
4. NATO bypasses the UN
   1. Although the United Nations was the primary international body for peacekeeping, NATO acted unilaterally, bypassing the UN Security Council to avoid Russian and Chinese vetoes.
   2. NATO launched Operation Allied Force on 24 March 1999, coinciding with its 50th anniversary.
   3. This emphasized NATO’s determination to remain a relevant military actor in post–Cold War Europe.
5. Withdrawal of international monitors
   1. On 20 March 1999, international monitors, including those under OSCE command, were withdrawn from Kosovo.
   2. Ambassador William Walker reported that Serbian forces had been “waiting” for this moment to act.
6. Escalation of violence
   1. Within days, Yugoslav military and paramilitary operations against Kosovar Albanian civilians escalated.
   2. This effectively initiated the phase of violent ethnic cleansing that NATO sought to prevent.