Peacekeeping in Albania and Kosovo: Conflict response and international intervention in the Western Balkans, 1997–2002

About the Author

Daan Everts is a Dutch diplomat. After his studies, Everts held various positions in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Hague, International Labour Organisation in Bangkok, Netherlands Embassy in Washington DC and as the Executive Secretary of the United Nations Capital Development Fund. He has since been head of various missions of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation.

Product Description

International interventions in conflict-ridden societies have left a trail of debacles behind. The limited military intervention and the civilian follow-up in Albania after the chaos in 1997 is a positive exception. Peacekeeping in Albania and Kosovo explores the concerted efforts to rebuild and modernize a society marked by its communist past, the failed coup attempt of 1998, and the influx of Kosovan refugees in 1999.

In Kosovo, the UN-led international rule and its efforts to rebuild a society from scratch were complicated by many restraining political, financial and administrative factors. This book describes how former political advisories agreed to work together, how a successful multi-ethnic police force was built, how a remarkable demilitarization of former guerrillas was achieved and how political factions came to accept the outcome of the first democratic elections.

Review

“Ambassador Daan Everts made a major contribution with his leadership of some of the most challenging missions in the Balkans. He has made another major contribution with this volume brimming with sage observations about international intervention from on-the-ground reality.” ―Edward P. Joseph, John Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, USA

“Above all, the book reflects the author's legal and diplomatic experience, his practical approach to respond to each concrete event; it shapes also his gentle behaviour and liberal philosophy.” ―Rexhep Meidani, President of Albania, 1997-2002

“An interesting and insightful analysis.” ―Jan Kubis, Former Secretary General of the OSCE and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Slovakia

“An absolutely fascinating first-hand account of how the international community tried to manage political upheaval in the Western Balkans in the late 1990s.” ―James Ker-Lindsay, Author of Kosovo: The Path to Contested Statehood in the Balkans