Twenty-seven years ago, on June 9, 1999, the Kumanovo Agreement was signed, marking the end of the war in Kosovo and Serbia’s military defeat.
Under the agreement, Serbia was compelled to withdraw all of its police and military forces from Kosovo.
The Kumanovo Agreement, signed between NATO and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, entered into force on June 11, 1999. It was signed by Mike Jackson, the first commander of KFOR in Kosovo, and Nebojša Pavković, the former Serbian Army chief later indicted by the Hague Tribunal for war crimes.
Among the key provisions of the agreement were:
- The withdrawal from Kosovo of all military-capable personnel and organizations, including the regular army, naval forces, armed civilians, paramilitary groups, air force units, national guard forces, border police, reservists, military police, intelligence services, the Serbian Interior Ministry (MUP), local police, special police units, anti-riot forces, anti-terrorist units, and any other armed formations designated by KFOR.
- The establishment of a 25-kilometer Air Safety Zone beyond Kosovo’s border.
- The establishment of a 5-kilometer Ground Safety Zone beyond the border with the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, where heavy weapons and military forces were prohibited, except for border security personnel.
On June 12, 1999, the first KFOR ground troops entered Kosovo, while Serbian forces began their withdrawal.
On June 10, 1999, NATO Secretary General Javier Solana issued the order to halt the NATO air campaign, and the United Nations Security Council adopted United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244, authorizing the deployment of approximately 37,200 KFOR troops from 36 countries.
The mission was divided into five sectors of responsibility under American, British, French, German, and Italian command.
With NATO’s entry into Kosovo, the deployment of the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo also began. The mission assumed temporary administration of Kosovo for a transitional period.
At the same time, the Kosovo Liberation Army was demilitarized and subsequently transformed into the Kosovo Protection Corps.
