Christopher Hill, former U.S. special envoy during the Kosovo War, will begin his testimony today at the Special Court in The Hague, acting as a defense witness for former Kosovo leaders, including Hashim Thaçi.
The session, delayed briefly due to Hill’s prior engagements, is scheduled to start at 14:00 local time.
Hill, a career diplomat, was directly involved in negotiations during the Rambouillet talks in France in 1999, and maintained multiple meetings with members of the UÇK (Kosovo Liberation Army) during the conflict.
In June 1998, as U.S. special envoy for Kosovo, Hill, together with senior diplomat Richard Holbrooke, met UÇK representatives in Junik. On January 13, 1999, Hill, alongside U.S. Ambassador William Walker, visited the UÇK headquarters in Likoc to mediate the release of eight captured Serbian soldiers.
Hill also participated as part of the Contact Group to seek a peaceful resolution between Kosovo and Serbia during Rambouillet negotiations. These talks ultimately failed when Serbia refused to sign the proposed agreement, leading to NATO’s 78-day bombing campaign against Slobodan Milošević’s regime.
Throughout his career, Hill has served as U.S. ambassador to Iraq, South Korea, Poland, Macedonia, and Albania, as well as Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, and head of the U.S. delegation in six-party talks on North Korea. Most recently, he served as U.S. ambassador to Serbia and currently works for a lobbying organization in the country.
Hill has received multiple accolades, including the Robert Fraser Peace Negotiation Award and the U.S. Secretary of State Distinguished Service Award, recognizing his diplomatic achievements.
His testimony is expected to provide critical historical and diplomatic context regarding the Kosovo conflict, UÇK operations, and international efforts toward peace during the late 1990s.
