{
  "id": "RL30187",
  "type": "CRS Report",
  "typeId": "REPORTS",
  "number": "RL30187",
  "active": false,
  "source": "EveryCRSReport.com",
  "versions": [
    {
      "source": "EveryCRSReport.com",
      "id": 101218,
      "date": "1999-05-26",
      "retrieved": "2016-05-24T20:45:02.810941",
      "title": "Kosovo's Future Status: Alternative Models",
      "summary": "The current focus of U.S. and NATO attention is on military and diplomatic efforts to achieve\na Serb\npull-back of forces from Kosovo, deploy an international force there, and return Kosovar Albanian\nrefugees to their homeland. The Administration and Congress have paid less public attention to the\nresolution of Kosovo's long-term future, but this issue may move to center-stage in the next phase\nof discussions. Ultimately, congressional support for continued U.S. military involvement may be\nlinked to the viability of the settlement being pursued. \n  The United States has a number of interests relative to Kosovo's future status, including\nproviding protection and justice for Kosovo's Albanian and Serb populations, encouraging the\nestablishment of a new democratic government in Serbia, enhancing security and avoiding turmoil\nin neighboring countries, preserving NATO credibility and cohesion, avoiding harmful precedents\nand unintended consequences, keeping Western relations with Russia on a constructive path, and\nlimiting the size and duration of the U.S. commitment to enforcement of a settlement. \n  Several alternative models for Kosovo's status have been discussed informally. One possibility\nis restoration of Kosovar  autonomy  within Yugoslavia. Proponents of autonomy\nargue the virtue\nof not requiring border changes that could rekindle other border disputes in Europe. The main\nconcern is that it may not give Albanian refugees the necessary confidence to return, in which case\nethnic cleansing will have succeeded and the international community will be left with the\nconsequences.\n  Another possibility is an  international protectorate  (involving de-facto\n separation from\nYugoslavia but not spelling out its ultimate status). It could be placed under United Nations,\nNATO, Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), or other organization\nsupervision, combined with protection from a credible international force. Proponents argue that\nKosovar refugees would be able to return safely, the Yugoslavia government would be deterred from\nfurther aggression, and troublesome precedents would not be set. Critics note that this outcome\nwould postpone but not permanently settle the status of Kosovo.\n  \n   Independence  is an option advocated mainly by ethnic Albanians. Outside\n observers believe\nthat independence would be unworkable at the present time. Without adequate preparation, it could\nsink Kosovo into chaos and heighten tensions in the Balkans.  Partition , with\nSerbia keeping part\nand the rest becoming a protectorate, independent, or attached to Albania, has been advocated by\nsome observers, as the most realistic solution given their belief that Serbs and Albanian are unlikely\nto be able to live together any time in the foreseeable future. Finally, Kosovo's status could be left\nto a wider  Balkan Peace Conference , to deal with all of the sources of conflict and\nbackwardness\nin the region. Some think it is the only way of breaking the cycle of conflict and creating lasting\npeace in the region, given that the issues and problems are so interrelated. Skeptics argue that\nexpecting to be able to solve all of the Balkan problems at once is unrealistic and making Kosovo\nhostage to a wider settlement would reduce the prospects of ever returning normalcy to the province.",
      "type": "CRS Report",
      "typeId": "REPORTS",
      "active": false,
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      "topics": []
    }
  ],
  "topics": [
    "Foreign Affairs"
  ]
}