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Military Technical Agreement
Military Technical Agreement Between the International Security Force
("KFOR") and the Governments of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and
the Republic of Serbia
Article I: General Obligations
- The Parties to this Agreement reaffirm the document presented
by President Ahtisaari to President Milosevic and approved by the
Serb Parliament and the Federal Government on June 3, 1999, to include
deployment in Kosovo under UN auspices of effective international
civil and security presences. The Parties further note that the
UN Security Council is prepared to adopt a resolution, which has
been introduced, regarding these presences.
- The State Governmental authorities of the Federal Republic of
Yugoslavia and the Republic of Serbia understand and agree that
the international security force ("KFOR") will deploy following
the adoption of the UNSCR referred to in paragraph 1 and operate
without hindrance within Kosovo and with the authority to take all
necessary action to establish and maintain a secure environment
for all citizens of Kosovo and otherwise carry out its mission.
They further agree to comply with all of the obligations of this
Agreement and to facilitate the deployment and operation of this
force.
- For purposes of the agreement, the following expressions shall
have the meanings as described below:
- "The Parties" are those signatories to the Agreement.
- "Authorities" means the appropriate responsible individual,
agency, or organisation of the Parties.
- "FRY Forces" includes all of the FRY and Republic of Serbia
personnel and organisations with a military capability. This
includes regular army and naval forces, armed civilian groups,
associated paramilitary groups, air forces, national guards,
border police, army reserves, military police, intelligence
services, federal and Serbian Ministry of Internal Affairs local,
special, riot and anti-terrorist police, and any other groups
or individuals so designated by the international security force
("KFOR") commander.
- The Air Safety Zone (ASZ) is defined as a 25-kilometre zone
that extends beyond the Kosovo province border into the rest
of FRY territory. It includes the airspace above that 25-kilometre
zone.
- The Ground Safety Zone (GSZ) is defined as a 5-kilometre
zone that extends beyond the Kosovo province border into the
rest of FRY territory. It includes the terrain within that 5-kilometre
zone.
- Entry into Force Day (EIF Day) is defined as the day this
Agreement is signed.
- The purposes of these obligations are as follows:
- To establish a durable cessation of hostilities, under no
circumstances shall any Forces of the FRY and the Republic of
Serbia enter into, reenter, or remain within the territory of
Kosovo or the Ground Safety Zone (GSZ) and the Air Safety Zone
(ASZ) described in paragraph 3. Article I without the prior
express consent of the international security force ("KFOR")
commander. Local police will be allowed to remain in the GSZ.
The above paragraph is without prejudice to the agreed return
of FRY and Serbian personnel which will be the subject of a
subsequent separate agreement as provided for in paragraph 6
of the document mentioned in paragraph 1 of this Article.
- To provide for the support and authorization of the international
security force ("KFOR") and in particular to authorize the international
security force ("KFOR") to take such actions as are required,
including the use of necessary force, to ensure compliance with
this Agreement and protection of the international security
force ("KFOR"), and to contribute to a secure environment for
the international civil implementation presence, and other international
organisations, agencies, and non-governmental organisations
(details in Appendix B).
Article II: Cessation of Hostilities
- The FRY Forces shall immediately, upon entry into force (EIF)
of this Agreement, refrain from committing any hostile or provocative
acts of any type against any person in Kosovo and will order armed
forces to cease all such activities. They shall not encourage, organise
or support hostile or provocative demonstrations.
- Phased Withdrawal of FRY Forces (ground): The FRY agrees to
a phased withdrawal of all FRY Forces from Kosovo to locations in
Serbia outside Kosovo. FRY Forces will mark and clear minefields,
booby traps and obstacles. As they withdraw, FRY Forces will clear
all lines of communication by removing all mines, demolitions, booby
traps, obstacles and charges. They will also mark all sides of all
minefields. International security forces' ("KFOR") entry and deployment
into Kosovo will be synchronized. The phased withdrawal of FRY Forces
from Kosovo will be in accordance with the sequence outlined below:
- By EIF + 1 day, FRY Forces located in Zone 3 will have vacated,
via designated routes, that Zone to demonstrate compliance (depicted
on the map at Appendix A to the Agreement). Once it is verified
that FRY forces have complied with this subparagraph and with
paragraph 1 of this Article, NATO air strikes will be suspended.
The suspension will continue provided that the obligations of
this agreement are fully complied with, and provided that the
UNSC adopts a resolution concerning the deployment of the international
security force ("KFOR") so rapidly that a security gap can be
avoided.
- By EIF + 6 days, all FRY Forces in Kosovo will have vacated
Zone 1 (depicted on the map at Appendix A to the Agreement).
Establish liaison teams with the KFOR commander in Pristina.
- By EIF + 9 days, all FRY Forces in Kosovo will have vacated
Zone 2 (depicted on the map at Appendix A to the Agreement).
- By EIF + 11 days, all FRY Forces in Kosovo will have vacated
Zone 3 (depicted on the map at Appendix A to the Agreement).
- By EIF +11 days, all FRY Forces in Kosovo will have completed
their withdrawal from Kosovo (depicted on map at Appendix A
to the Agreement) to locations in Serbia outside Kosovo, and
not within the 5 km GSZ. At the end of the sequence (EIF + 11),
the senior FRY Forces commanders responsible for the withdrawing
forces shall confirm in writing to the international security
force ("KFOR") commander that the FRY Forces have complied and
completed the phased withdrawal. The international security
force ("KFOR") commander may approve specific requests for exceptions
to the phased withdrawal. The bombing campaign will terminate
on complete withdrawal of FRY Forces as provided under Article
II. The international security force ("KFOR") shall retain,
as necessary, authority to enforce compliance with this Agreement.
- The authorities of the FRY and the Republic of Serbia will
co-operate fully with international security force ("KFOR")
in its verification of the withdrawal of forces from Kosovo
and beyond the ASZ/GSZ.
- FRY armed forces withdrawing in accordance with Appendix
A, i.e. in designated assembly areas or withdrawing on designated
routes, will not be subject to air attack.
- The international security force ("KFOR") will provide appropriate
control of the borders of FRY in Kosovo with Albania and FYROM
(1)
until the arrival of the civilian mission of the UN.
- Phased Withdrawal of Yugoslavia Air and Air Defence Forces (YAADF)
- At EIF + 1 day, no FRY aircraft, fixed wing and rotary,
will fly in Kosovo airspace or over the ASZ without prior approval
by the international security force ("KFOR") commander. All
air defence systems, radar, surface-to-air missile and aircraft
of the Parties will refrain from acquisition, target tracking
or otherwise illuminating international security ("KFOR") air
platforms operating in the Kosovo airspace or over the ASZ.
- By EIF + 3 days, all aircraft, radars, surface-to-air missiles
(including man-portable air defence systems (MANPADS)) and anti-aircraft
artillery in Kosovo will withdraw to other locations in Serbia
outside the 25 kilometre ASZ.
- The international security force ("KFOR") commander will
control and coordinate use of airspace over Kosovo and the ASZ
commencing at EIF. Violation of any of the provisions above,
including the international security force ("KFOR") commander's
rules and procedures governing the airspace over Kosovo, as
well as unauthorised flight or activation of FRY Integrated
Air Defence (IADS) within the ASZ, are subject to military action
by the international security force ("KFOR"), including the
use of necessary force. The international security force ("KFOR")
commander may delegate control of normal civilian air activities
to appropriate FRY institutions to monitor operations, deconflict
international security force ("KFOR") air traffic movements,
and ensure smooth and safe operations of the air traffic system.
It is envisioned that control of civil air traffic will be returned
to civilian authorities as soon as practicable.
Article III: Notifications
- This agreement and written orders requiring compliance will
be immediately communicated to all FRY forces.
- By EIF +2 days, the State governmental authorities of the FRY
and the Republic of Serbia shall furnish the following specific
information regarding the status of all FRY Forces:
- Detailed records, positions and descriptions of all mines,
unexploded ordnance, explosive devices, demolitions, obstacles,
booby traps, wire entanglement, physical or military hazards
to the safe movement of any personnel in Kosovo laid by FRY
Forces.
- Any further information of a military or security nature
about FRY Forces in the territory of Kosovo and the GSZ and
ASZ requested by the international security force ("KFOR") commander.
Article IV: Establishment of a Joint Implementation Commission (JIC)
A JIC shall be established with the deployment of the international
security force ("KFOR") to Kosovo as directed by the international
security force ("KFOR") commander.
Article V: Final Authority to Interpret
The international security force ("KFOR") commander is the final
authority regarding interpretation of this Agreement and the security
aspects of the peace settlement it supports. His determinations
are binding on all Parties and persons.
Article VI: Entry Into Force
This agreement shall enter into force upon signature.
Appendices:
A. Phased withdrawal of FRY Forces from Kosovo

Click on the map to enlarge (176 KB)
Annex 2
B. International security force ("KFOR") operations
- Consistent with the general obligations of the Military Technical
Agreement, the State Governmental authorities of the FRY and the
Republic of Serbia understand and agree that the international security
force ("KFOR") will deploy and operate without hindrance within
Kosovo and with the authority to take all necessary action to establish
and maintain a secure environment for all citizens of Kosovo.
- The international security force ("KFOR") commander shall have
the authority, without interference or permission, to do all that
he judges necessary and proper, including the use of military force,
to protect the international security force ("KFOR"), the international
civil implementation presence, and to carry out the responsibilities
inherent in this Military Technical Agreement and the Peace Settlement
which it supports.
- The international security force ("KFOR") nor any of its personnel
or staff shall be liable for any damages to public or private property
that they may cause in the course of duties related to the implementation
of this Agreement. The parties will agree a Status of Forces Agreement
(SOFA) as soon as possible.
- The international security force ("KFOR") shall have the right:
- To monitor and ensure compliance with this Agreement and
to respond promptly to any violations and restore compliance,
using military force if required.
This includes necessary actions to:
- Enforce withdrawals of FRY forces.
- Enforce compliance following the return of selected
FRY personnel to Kosovo
- Provide assistance to other international entities involved
in the implementation or otherwise authorised by the UNSC.
- To establish liaison arrangements with local Kosovo authorities,
and with FRY/Serbian civil and military authorities.
- To observe, monitor and inspect any and all facilities or
activities in Kosovo that the international security force ("KFOR")
commander believes has or may have military or police capability,
or may be associated with the employment of military or police
capabilities, or are otherwise relevant to compliance with this
Agreement.
- Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the Parties
understand and agree that the international security force ("KFOR")
commander has the right and is authorised to compel the removal,
withdrawal, or relocation of specific Forces and weapons, and to
order the cessation of any activities whenever the international
security force ("KFOR") commander determines a potential threat
to either the international security force ("KFOR") or its mission,
or to another Party. Forces failing to redeploy, withdraw, relocate,
or to cease threatening or potentially threatening activities following
such a demand by the international security force ("KFOR") shall
be subject to military action by the international security force
("KFOR"), including the use of necessary force, to ensure compliance.
Footnote:
Turkey recognizes the Republic of Macedonia with its constitutional
name.
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