Kosovo (20 Most Important Events)

October 1997 Serbian Police halt Kosovo- Albanian student protests. KLA responds by launching more attack on the police. The student protests went against Rugova's wishes, and the reaction by the police prompted further aggression from the KLA. Hence, advancing the civil war.

February - March 1998 Serbian Police perform a series of raids in the Drecina region of Kosovo. Many villages were attacked and multiple Albanians were killed. The civillian casualties from this attack outraged the KLA, and also prompted more attacks on the police.

May 1998 Richard Holbrooke goes to Belgrade and arranges a meeting between Milosevic and Rugova. This is an example of a person trying to intervene and resolve conflict through a method of forced diplomacy, which Holbrooke was known for.

August 16 1998 The United Nations calls for a cease-fire. This is one of the most notable examples of foreign intervention in this civil war.

September 24 NATO approves two separate contingency operation plans for military intervention in Kosovo. One of them was for airstrikes, and the other for the supervision of the cease-fire agreement. Meaning that NATO had to directly intervene in the conflict to prevent the fighting from breaking out again.

November 23 UNSCR 1199 adopted. A resolution that dictated the end of hostilities between the Albanian and Yugoslav groups. Marking this as the United Nations official form of intervention.

January 29 The six-nation contact group meets in London and demands Serbs and ethnic Albanians to attend the peace talks in France later on February 6. Similar to the Holbrooke's approach, this was also an example of forced diplomacy. In which both parties were forced to come to an agreement despite their ongoing conflict.

March 18 The Paris peace talks are halted. As Serbia takes back their earlier positions from Rambouillet One-third of FRY's armed forces have surrounded Kosovo. Despite having been forced to the peace talks, Serbia managed to avoid forced diplomacy and launched another attack on Kosovo during the civil war.

March 24 NATO airstrikes begin. Many Kosovars have already fled before the bombing campaign. Yet many were either injured or killed.

May 25 NATO agreed to eventually increase ground force troops in Kosovo to 48,000. Continuing the progress of the civil war, and putting more of a strain on Serbia and Kosovo from foreign intervention.

April 95% of Serbians vote against international mediation in Kosovo. Showcasing how the cling to Kosovo is not only centred to Milosevic and his party. In fact, nearly all of Serbia shared the same idea.

June 11 Operation Determined Falcon: NATO strafed over the Yugoslav borders with Albania and Macedonia. These were intimidation tactics that were meant to display the looming threat of the airstrikes. Similiar to Holbrooke this is also an example of forced diplomacy. In which NATO tried intimidating Serbia into submission.

June 23 - 24 Holbrooke meets with Milosevic. Travels to Kosovo, to talk directly with KLA commanders.

September 9 Bodies of 34 Kosovar Albanians and Serbs are found near the village of Glodjane. The KLA is suspected to have been involved. Prompting more battles against the KLA, and also a change in their global reputation. (Seen more as terrorists globally)

September 26 After the KLA had killed several Serb police, the Serb security forces respond by killing 35 villagers in Gornje Obrinje.

October 13 Following a week of negotiations, Holbrooke secures the "October Agreement", in which Serbia is made to comply with the regulations of Resolution 1199 of the UN Security Council. Including a cease-fire, withdrawals of both KLA and FRY troops, and substantial autonomy for Kosovo.

October 12 NATO 'activation order' is approved. Allowing the preparations for a limited bombing campaign. This decree was used as an intimidation tactic to scare both the KLA and FRY.

November 13 Serbia alerts Macedonia of the relocation of NATO troops on its territory.

December 23 - 24 FRY and KLA troops battle and invade villages near Pudojevo.

February 6 Rambouillet peace talks in France begin. Milosevic refuses to attend the talks. Miolosevic's incompliance hindered the chances of ending the civil war, and shortened NATO's patience for the threat of the airstrikes.