Kosovo Force (KFOR) Notes

The Establishment of Kosovo Force (KFOR)

1. Deployment and mandate
   1. After the cessation of hostilities in Kosovo in June 1999, the international peacekeeping force Kosovo Force (KFOR) was deployed.
   2. Nearly 30 countries contributed troops.
   3. KFOR was tasked with maintaining peace and stability in the war-torn province.

The Establishment of Kosovo Force (KFOR)

1. NATO leadership and troop contributions
   1. While NATO led the operation, European nations provided the bulk of personnel.
   2. The United States contributed about 7,000 troops; major contingents came from the UK (13,000), Germany (8,000), France (7,000), and Italy (5,000).
2. Formal launch and legal basis
   1. The mission was formally launched as Operation Joint Guardian after UN Security Council Resolution 1244 on 10 June 1999.
   2. The resolution authorized an international civilian and security presence in Kosovo.
3. Core goals of KFOR
   1. Secure a ceasefire and ensure the withdrawal of Yugoslav and Serbian forces.
   2. Enable the safe return of refugees.
   3. Disarm the KLA.
   4. Support the establishment of an interim administration under UN oversight.

U.S. Messaging and Serbian Reaction

1. Clinton’s address to Serbians
   1. President Bill Clinton acknowledged Serbian suffering and argued the war and NATO intervention could have been avoided if President Milošević had chosen a peaceful resolution that respected Kosovar Albanian rights.
2. Moral framing in the United States
   1. Clinton called the intervention a moral imperative, saying NATO acted to uphold human dignity and human rights as the twentieth century closed.
   2. He urged Americans to be proud of preventing ethnic cleansing.
3. Public sentiment in Serbia