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Fluid Interventionism and the Politics of Peacebuilding

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Shaping Peace in Kosovo

Part of the book series: Rethinking Peace and Conflict Studies ((RCS))

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Abstract

The conflict in Kosovo was profoundly about the claims of Kosovo Albanians for independent statehood, and the opposition thereof, by the Serbian government and local Serbs. This chapter argues that the international missions referred to “peacebuilding” to appease Kosovo Serbs, as well as “statebuilding” to appease Kosovo Albanians. In managing this complex interplay of forces, the international community deployed multiple fluid forms of intervention varying from extensive and administrative forms of intervention, to more supervisory and diplomatic forms of intervention. While fluid interventionism entailed failure-driven responses to local resistance, it also manifested itself as a by-product of transitional global order and the growing confrontation with dominant powers.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Interview by author with a senior ICO political officer, Pristina, 23 June 2010.

  2. 2.

    Interview by author with a political officer at the US Embassy, Pristina, 18 June 2010.

  3. 3.

    Interview by author with a former senior ICO officer, via Skype, 15 January 2016.

  4. 4.

    Remarks at the United States Institute of Peace by the International Civilian Representative, Pieter C. Feith, Washington DC, 25 May 2010.

  5. 5.

    Interview by author with a senior ICO political officer, Pristina, 23 June 2010.

  6. 6.

    See: “Joint statement by the EU Special Representative, the EU member States represented in Kosovo and the Embassy of the United States in Kosovo,” 19 September 2013. Available at: http://pristina.usembassy.gov/2013_press_release24.html (accessed 20 March 2016).

  7. 7.

    See: UK’s “Call for proposals: Conflict, Security, Stability fund 2015–2016 Serbia and Kosovo,” 16 March 2015. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/world-location-news/call-for-proposals-conflict-security-stability-fund-2015-2016-serbia-and-kosovo (accessed 20 April 2016).

  8. 8.

    See: “U.S. Embassy Pristina statement on detention of ‘Drenica Group’,” 05 June 2013. Available at: http://pristina.usembassy.gov/2013_press_release16.html (accessed 20 April 2016).

  9. 9.

    See: “Statement of the U.S. Embassy Pristina,” 02 December 2013. Available at: http://pristina.usembassy.gov/2013_press_release28.html (accessed 20 April 2016).

  10. 10.

    See: “Marrëveshje mbi Parimet ndërmjet kualicionit LDK-AAK-NISMA dhe Lëvizja VETËVENDOSJE!” Pristina, 10 September 2014. Available at: http://www.vetevendosje.org/news_post/deklarimi-per-gazetaret-i-kryetarit-te-levizjes-vetevendosje-albin-kurti-pas-nenshkrimit-te-marreveshjes/ (accessed 22 April 2016).

  11. 11.

    See: UK’s FCO press statement “Foreign Office welcomes Kosovo Assembly’s efforts to deal with the past,” 03 August 2015. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/foreign-office-welcomes-kosovo-assemblys-efforts-to-deal-with-the-past (accessed 23 May 2016).

  12. 12.

    See: EU Special Representative in Kosovo Op-Ed published in Koha Ditore, entitled “For Kosovo and for what it can become,” 28 May 2015. Available at: http://eeas.europa.eu/delegations/kosovo/press_corner/all_news/news/2015/20150528_en.htm (accessed 22 May 2016).

  13. 13.

    See: “Statement of EU Embassies/Offices, EUSR/EU Office and US Embassy in Kosovo on the adoption of constitutional amendment and law on the establishment of the Specialist Chambers,” 03 August 2015. Available at: http://eeas.europa.eu/delegations/kosovo/press_corner/all_news/news/2015/20150803_en.htm (accessed 22 April 2016).

  14. 14.

    Joint Statement on recent developments in Kosovo, 19 November 2015. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/world-location-news/joint-statement-on-recent-developments-in-kosovo (accessed 23 April 2016).

  15. 15.

    See: Constitutional Court of Kosovo judgement “Concerning the assessment of the compatibility of the principles contained in the document entitled ‘Association/Community of Serb majority municipalities in Kosovo – general principles/main elements’ with the spirit of the Constitution, Article 3 [Equality Before the Law], paragraph 1, Chapter II [Fundamental Rights and Freedoms] and Chapter III [Rights of Communities and Their Members] of the Constitution of the Republic of Kosovo,” 23 December 2015. Available at: http://www.gjk-ks.org/repository/docs/gjk_ko_130_15_ang.pdf (accessed 25 April 2016).

  16. 16.

    See: “EU Office/EUSR statement on the Constitutional Court decision concerning the Association/Community of Serb majority municipalities,” 24 December 2015. Available at: http://eeas.europa.eu/delegations/kosovo/press_corner/all_news/news/2015/20151224_en.htm (accessed 24 June 2016).

  17. 17.

    See: “Joint Embassy Statement on PTK Privatization, 16 April 2013.” Available at: http://pristina.usembassy.gov/2013_press_release12.html (accessed 23 June 2016).

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  1. School of Law and Government, Dublin City University, Dublin, Ireland

    Gëzim Visoka

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Visoka, G. (2017). Fluid Interventionism and the Politics of Peacebuilding. In: Shaping Peace in Kosovo . Rethinking Peace and Conflict Studies. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-51001-9_2

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