KOSOVO SPRING 20 March 1998 ICG Report Pristina- Sarajevo Table of Contents I. INTRODUCTION...................................................................................................................................1 II. KOSOVO SITUATION ........................................................................................................................2 A. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND ..................................................................................................................2 1. Importance of Kosovo for Serbs .....................................................................................................2 2. Importance of Kosovo for Kosovars ...............................................................................................3 B. SOCIOLOGICAL BACKGROUND ..............................................................................................................3 1. Albanians in the Region..................................................................................................................3 2. Language and Religion...................................................................................................................4 3. Demographics .................................................................................................................................4 4. Diaspora ..........................................................................................................................................5 C. THE HUMAN RIGHTS SITUATION...........................................................................................................6 D. EVOLUTION OF THE STATUS OF KOSOVO ..............................................................................................9 1. From Autonomy to Repression 1974 - 1989...................................................................................9 2. Adherence to Non-violence 1989-1997 ........................................................................................11 3. Kosovo’s Status, Differing Views..................................................................................................11 E. PARALLEL INSTITUTIONS ....................................................................................................................13 1. Government and Political Life......................................................................................................13 2. Democratic League of Kosovo......................................................................................................14 3. Parliamentary Party of Kosovo.....................................................................................................17 4. Other Parties .................................................................................................................................18 5. 22 March 1998 Elections ..............................................................................................................19 F. EDUCATION.........................................................................................................................................20 1. History of the Conflict...................................................................................................................20 2. The Parallel Education System ....................................................................................................21 3. Education Agreement ...................................................................................................................21 4. Students .........................................................................................................................................23 G. HEALTH CARE ....................................................................................................................................25 H. ECONOMY ..........................................................................................................................................26 I. MEDIA .................................................................................................................................................26 1. Print Media....................................................................................................................................26 2. Electronic Media...........................................................................................................................28 3. Internet ..........................................................................................................................................29 J. KOSOVO LIBERATION ARMY, UCK.....................................................................................................29 III. KOSOVO IN CONTEXT ..................................................................................................................33 A. KOSOVO AND KOSOVO SERBS............................................................................................................33 B. KOSOVO AND BELGRADE SERBS ........................................................................................................34 C. KOSOVO AND YUGOSLAVIA ...............................................................................................................35 D. KOSOVO AND ALBANIA ......................................................................................................................36 E. KOSOVO AND THE BALKANS...............................................................................................................37 F. KOSOVO AND EUROPE ........................................................................................................................39 1. European Union............................................................................................................................39 2. Council of Europe........................................................................................................................39 3. Individual European Initiatives...................................................................................................40 G. KOSOVO AND THE US.........................................................................................................................41 H. KOSOVO AND INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATIONS ...............................................................................42 1. OSCE.............................................................................................................................................42 2. Contact Group...............................................................................................................................43 3. United Nations...............................................................................................................................44 4. NATO.............................................................................................................................................44 5. Non-Governmental Organisations ...............................................................................................45 IV. PROPOSED SOLUTIONS................................................................................................................45 A. STATUS QUO ......................................................................................................................................46 B. INDEPENDENCE ..................................................................................................................................47 C. INTERNATIONAL PROTECTORATE .......................................................................................................47 ICG Report - Kosovo Spring Page ii D. ADMINISTRATIVE REFORMS AND POSSIBLE PARTITION OF KOSOVO...................................................48 E. AUTONOMY ........................................................................................................................................48 F. “THIRD REPUBLIC” .............................................................................................................................49 G. CONCLUSION ......................................................................................................................................49 V. ICG RECOMMENDATIONS ............................................................................................................50 A. SHORT TERM MEASURES...........................................................................................................50 1. Military strategy ...........................................................................................................................50 2. Sanctions and other punitive measures.......................................................................................50 3. Mediation of immediate issues ...................................................................................................51 4. International Presence.................................................................................................................51 B. ACCOMPANYING MEASURES...................................................................................................51 1. Negotiations...................................................................................................................................51 2. Increased Contacts........................................................................................................................52 3. Support for Education and