Chapter 5 - Settlement of the Crisis

Summary

During the NATO bombing campaign political efforts for a peaceful settlement of the crisis continued. On 6 May 1999, the G8 states agreed on general principles for a solution (document no. 200). These principles included, inter alia, the immediate and verifiable end of violence and repression in Kosovo; withdrawal from Kosovo of military, police and paramilitary forces; deployment of an international civil and security presence, endorsed and adopted by a UN Security Council Resolution; establishment of an interim administration to be decided by the UN Security Council; the demilitarisation of the KLA; a political process towards the establishment of an interim political framework agreement providing for substantial self-government within the parameters of the Ram-bouillet Accords and taking account of the territorial integrity of the FRY.

By end of May 1999 the European Union authorized the Finnish President Ahtisaari to go on a mission to Belgrade together with the Russian Special Envoy Chernomyrdin to negotiate a peace plan based on the G8 principles. The FRY accepted the peace plan on 3 June 1999 (document no. 204). Milosevic's acceptance of the plan is said to have been influenced by evidence that Britain and France were actively contemplating a ground force deployment (documents no. 185–189). In addition, changes had been made since Rambouillet. The international civil presence in Kosovo was to be deployed under UN rather than NATO auspices. There was no mentioning of KFOR's or NATO's unrestricted passage or unimpeded access throughout the rest of the FRY.