Page 425 - 100 Reflections that Crafted Geneva International_V-Petrovsky_private special edition

Bringing the Concept to Life

The NATO intervention in Kosovo was stopped by Security Council
Resolution 124 in June 1999. This resolution formed the foundations for a
peaceful political settlement in the region and established the United Nations'
Interim Administration in Kosovo (UNMIK). This is by far the most complex
mission ever undertaken by the UN as it aims to set up a functioning state-
system in the province.

But the UN has by no means undertaken this task alone. UNMIK, in fact,
is a perfect illustration of how the UN is working hand in hand with Europe's
main regional organizations in the cause of European security. In addition to its
close cooperation with NATO which is once more in a peace-keeping role,
UNMIK's head, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Bernard
Kouchner, is responsible for coordinating all the agencies involved in the oper-
ation. The UN runs the civilian administration, the UN High Commissioner
for Refugees runs Humanitarian Affairs; while the OSCE is responsible for in-
stitution building and the EU for reconstruction.

This successful partnership between the UN, OSCE and the EU was taken
a step further last year with the forming of the Stability Pact for South Eastern
Europe. This body, involves the whole gamut of international organizations,
including NATO, OECD, Council of Europe, WEU, the World Bank, the
International Monetary Fund, and the European Bank for Reconstruction and
Development. In addition, it includes the EU and Russian Foreign Ministers
and Foreign Ministers of South Eastern European nations. It was set up in
order to provide the region with an internationally coordinated strategy for
stability and growth. This is an excellent example of how this extraordinary
range of institutions are now able to come together in a coordinated and
constructive fashion to meet specific regional needs. It also illustrates how the
process of peace-building and preventive diplomacy can, and should, go hand-
in-hand.

The impact of a Common European Defence Policy on the UN

This close cooperation with OSCE and the EU may further strengthen in
future years with the development of a common European defence policy. In
Helsinki last December EU members agreed to establish by the year 2003, an
Army Corps of between 50-60,000 rapid reaction force to serve as an
instrument of EU foreign policy for crisis management in Europe. The EU has
described this move as a means of further developing international co-
operation and co-ordination in the field of security. Chris Patten, the EU

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