Paul Williams, an international lawyer and legal advisor to the Albanian delegation in Rambouillet, was questioned by the judicial panel at the Kosovo Specialist Chambers to explain why Hashim Thaçi was chosen as the head of the Albanian delegation.
Williams stated that it was unavoidable for the delegation to be led by “non-state but armed actors” and that “the KLA was the key dimension of Kosovo’s political fabric.”
Regarding why not President Ibrahim Rugova or Bujar Bukoshi, Williams explained that international actors would have been “deeply frustrated” by Rugova’s positions:
“His sentences always began and ended with two phrases: Independence and non-use of force.
President Rugova, who was my first pro-bono client through Bukoshi, deeply respected and admired every discussion with international actors; his statements always started and ended with two phrases: independence, non-use of force.
Rugova played an important role in Rambouillet representing the people of Kosovo, but the international community would have been deeply frustrated if they had to negotiate with him. He embodied pacifism and sovereignty; he did not negotiate.
There was a political kaleidoscope, and the realities on the ground were different. If the Albanians had said Rugova and Bukoshi would negotiate, the internationals would have asked, ‘Where are the non-state armed actors?’ But it would have been merely Potemkin (fake). The entire constellation of actors was required. The KLA was seen as the key dimension of Kosovo’s political fabric.”
