Republika e Kosovës ilepublika Kosova - Republic of Kosovo Qeveria -Vlada - Govemment Min'istria e Punëve të Jashtme-Ministarstvo lnostranih Poslova -Ministry of Foreign Affairs 17 April 2009 Sir, With reference to the request for an ~dvisory opinion submitted to the Court by the General Assembly of the United Nations on the question of the Accordance with International Law of the Unilateral Declaration of lndependence by the Provisional Institutions of Self-Government of Kosovo, I have the honour to submit herewith, in accordance with Article 66 of the Statute of the Court and the Court's Ortler of 17 October 2008, the Written Contribution of the Republic of Kosovo. The Government of the Republic of Kosovo transmits thirty copies of its Written Contribution and annexes, as well ·as an electronic copy. I also transmit, for deposit in the Registry, a full-scale photographie reproduction of the Declaration oflndependence of Kosovo as signed on 17 February 2008. Accept, Sir, the assurances of my hiÎÏlconsid~ !. Sken~dr yseni Minister of oreign Affairs Representative offlie"'. epublic of Kosovo before the International Court of Justice H.E. Mr. Philippe Couvreur Registrar International Court of Justice Peace Palace 2517 KJ The Hague The Netherlands INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE ACCORDANCE WITH INTERNATIONAL LAW OF THE UNILATERAL DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE BY THE PROVISIONAL INSTITUTIONS OF SELF-GOVERNMENT OF KOSOVO (REQUEST FOR ADVISORY OPINION) WRITTEN CONTRIBUTION OF THE REPUBLIC OF KOSOVO 17 APRIL 2009 TABLE OF CONTENTS Table of Contents ................................................................................................................ 111 Abbreviations ...................................................................................................................... 1x Note on Languages, Place-Names and other Usages .......................................................... xi WRITTEN CONTRIBUTION PARTI INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................... 1 CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................ 3 I. Adoption of General Assembly Resolution 63/3 ................................................... 4 II. Summary ofKosovo's Written Contribution ......................................................... 5 CHAPTERII Kosovo TODA Y .......................................................................................... 9 I. Overview ................................................................................................................ 9 II. The Territory of Kosovo ....................................................................................... 13 III. The People of Kosovo .......................................................................................... 15 IV. Constitution of the Republic of Kosovo ............................................................... 16 V. International Relations ......................................................................................... 18 VI. Internal Developments ......................................................................................... 25 VII. Presence of the International Community ............................................................ 29 VIII. Serbia's Attitude towards Kosovo ........................................................................ 35 -111- PART II HISTORY AND CONTEXT ....................................................................... 39 CHAPTERIII FROMAUTONOMY TO ETHNICCLEANSING ................................................ .41 I. Kosovo before 1974 .............................................................................................. 42 II. Kosovo under the 1974 SFRY Constitution ........................................................ .47 A. Overview of Constitutional Developments ................................................... .4 7 B. The 1974 SFRY Constitution ........................................................................ .48 III. Illegal Removal of Autonomy (1989) ................................................................... 51 IV. Persecution and Repression through the 1990s ..................................................... 54 V. Diplomatie Efforts to Resolve the Crisis .............................................................. 58 VI. Crimes Against Humanity, War Crimes and Human Rights Violations Committed Against Kosovo Albanians in 1998-1999 .......................................... 60 CHAPTERIV RESOLUTION1244 (1999) ANDTHE INTERIM PERIOD ................................. 69 I. Resolution 1244 (1999) ......................................................................................... 70 II. The Promotion of Kosovo Self-Govemance ......................................................... 78 III. The Transition to Independence ............................................................................ 90 CHAPTERV FINALSTATUS PROCESS ............................................................................. 93 I. Eide Reviews and Reports (2004-2005) ............................................................... 95 II. Final Status Process Led by Martti Ahtisaari (November 2005-March 2007) ...... 96 III. Security Council Mission to Kosovo (April 2007) ............................................. 103 IV. European Union/United States/Russian Federation Troika on Kosovo (August-December 2007) .................................................................................... 105 -IV- PART III THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE ...................................... 107 CHAPTERVI THE DECLARATIONOF INDEPENDENCE.................................................... 109 I. The Circumstances Surrounding the Signing of the Declaration ....................... 109 II. The Declaration of Independence was made by the Democratically-Elected Leaders of the People of Kosovo ....................................................................... 113 III. The Content of the Declaration .......................................................................... 116 A. The Historical Elements of the Declaration ................................................ 116 B. Commitment to Core Principles Concerning the Political and Legal Organization of the Future State of Kosovo ................................................ 117 C. Commitments under International Law as an Equal Member of the International Community ............................................................................ 118 PART IV THE LAW .................................................................................................. 123 CHAPTERVII THE QUESTIONIN THEREQUEST FOR AN ADVISORYOPINION ................. 125 I. The Prejudicial and Argumentative Formulation of the Question ..................... 126 II. The Meaning of the Question ............................................................................. 128 III. The Power of the Court to Respond to this Question ......................................... 130 IV. The Necessity to Take into Account the Context of the Declaration of Independence 133 CHAPTERVIII THE DECLARATIONOF INDEPENDENCEDm NOT CONTRAVENE ANY APPLICABLERULE OF GENERALINTERNATIONAL LAW ........................... 137 I. For Kosovo's Declaration of Independence to be not "in Accordance with International Law", there must Exist a Rule of International Law Prohibiting its Issuance ...................................................................................... 137 -V- Il. There Is No Rule of International Law Prohibiting the Issuance of a Declaration of Independence .............................................................................. 140 A. The Issuance of a Declaration of Independence Is a Factual Event Not Regulated by General International Law ..................................................... 140 B. Longstanding State Practice Confirms that the Issuance of a Declaration oflndependence Is Not Regulated by General International Law ............... 142 C. State Practice Relating to the Break-up of the Former Yugoslavia Confirms that the Issuance of a Declaration of Independence Is Not Regulated by General International Law ..................................................... 148 III. The Court Need Not Reach the Issue of the Right of Self-Determination in this Proceeding .................................................................................................... 157 IV. Kosovo's Ability to Exercise Inter-State Relations Is Now Part of a Political Process of Recognition and Mernbership in International Organizations, a Process to Which the Court Has Previously Deferred ........................................ 158 CHAPTERIX THE DECLARATIONOF INDEPENDENCEDID NOT CONTRAVENE SECURITYCOUNCIL RESOLUTION 1244 (1999) ........................................ 161 I. Security Council Resolution 1244 Did Not Dictate the Terms of the Final Political Settlernent, Nor Accord the FRY or Serbia a Veto .............................. 163 II. Resolution 1244 Launched a Political Process that Concluded When Negotiations were Exhausted, the Status Quo Was No Longer Sustainable, and the only Viable Option for Kosovo Was lndependence ............................... 168 III. Kosovo's Declaration of Independence Was Not Declared Null and Void, or Without Legal Effect, by the Secretary-General' s Special Representative, the Authorized Person Responsible for Monitoring Irnplernentation of Resolution 1244 .................................................................................................