Independence for Kosovo

Kosovo is a self-declared independent republic in southeastern Europe. After international negotiations failed to reach a consensus on an acceptable constitutional status, Kosovo's provisional government unilaterally declared independence from Serbia on 17 February 2008, terming itself as the Republic of Kosovo. The new state is anticipated to receive partial international recognition from most European countries and the United States.

Prior to independence, Kosovo was a territory with an Albanian majority under the administration of the United Nations under resolution 1244 of the UN Security Council, dated 10 June 1999, and following the violent clashes that took place between Serbs and separatist Albanians in the late 1990 and the grave humanitarian disaster that ensued.

Since the peace accords Kumanovo, dated the same day, a NATO force, KFOR, ensure peace and order in this region formerly under the authority of Serbia. Negotiations on the status of Kosovo between Serbian authorities and Kosovo are long remained at an impasse, the first spoke only of broad autonomy for Kosovo within Serbia, the latter wanting independence. It is in this context that on February 17, 2008, the parliament of Kosovo has unilaterally declared the independence of the territory.

NATO: OTAN