The International Steering Group for Kosovo (ISG) was an organization formed pursuant to the Ahtisaari Plan concerning the

Kosovo status process The political status of Kosovo, also known as the Kosovo question, is the subject of a long-running political and territorial dispute between the Serbian (and previously, Yugoslav) government and the Government of Kosovo, stemming from the br ...

. It was set up to guide

Kosovo Kosovo ( sq, Kosova or ; sr-Cyrl, Косово ), officially the Republic of Kosovo ( sq, Republika e Kosovës, links=no; sr, Република Косово, Republika Kosovo, links=no), is a partially recognised state in Southeast Euro ...

's democratic development and promote

good governance Good governance is the process of measuring how public institutions conduct public affairs and manage public resources and guarantee the realization of human rights in a manner essentially free of abuse and corruption and with due regard for th ...

, multi-ethnicity and the rule of law. The group was responsible for appointing and overseeing the

International Civilian Representative for Kosovo The International Civilian Representative for Kosovo (ICR), supported by the International Civilian Office (ICO), was the European Union Special Representative (EUSR) for Kosovo (appointed by the Council of the European Union) which was re-appoint ...

(ICR). The ICR was the "final authority in Kosovo regarding interpretation" of the Plan and had the "ability to annul decisions or laws adopted by Kosovo authorities and sanction and remove public officials whose actions he/she determined to be inconsistent" with the Plan. The

European Union Special Representative The European Union Special Representatives (EUSR) are emissaries of the European Union with specific tasks abroad. While the EU's ambassadors are responsible for affairs with a single country, Special Representatives tackle specific issues, conf ...

(EUSR) for

(appointed by the

Council of the European Union The Council of the European Union, often referred to in the treaties and other official documents simply as the Council, and informally known as the Council of Ministers, is the third of the seven Institutions of the European Union (EU) as ...

) was re-appointed by the ISG as the ICR. The 2008 Kosovo declaration of independence formally "accept dfully the obligations" of the Ahtisaari Plan. It had its inaugural meeting on Thursday February 28, 2008. The group has been declared "illegal" by Serbia and condemned by Russia. On 10 September 2012, the International Steering Group had its final meeting and formally ended its supervision, and Kosovo became responsible for its own governance.

Members

There are 25 countries which were members of the Steering Group, 15 of which were at its formation with ten others joining later. Every country in the group recognized Kosovo's

declaration of independence A declaration of independence or declaration of statehood or proclamation of independence is an assertion by a polity in a defined territory that it is independent and constitutes a state. Such places are usually declared from part or all of th ...

. The draft Ahtisaari Plan originally defined the ISG as composed of: * * * * * * * *

European Commission The European Commission (EC) is the executive of the European Union (EU). It operates as a cabinet government, with 27 members of the Commission (informally known as "Commissioners") headed by a President. It includes an administrative body ...

NATO The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO, ; french: Organisation du traité de l'Atlantique nord, ), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental military alliance between 30 member states – 28 European and two No ...

The ISG held that "one of the criteria for becoming member of ISG was recognition f Kosovo’s independence" The Group was composed of 20 EU member states and five non-EU countries. * * * * (joined 30 June 2008) * * * * * * * * * * * (joined 30 June 2008) * * * (joined 30 June 2008) * * * * * * *

Notes

References

External links

First meeting of International Steering Group for Kosovo held in Vienna
International Herald Tribune {{Kosovo topics Politics of Kosovo Political organizations based in Kosovo 1999 in Kosovo 2008 establishments in Kosovo 2012 disestablishments in Kosovo 2000s in Kosovo 2010s in Kosovo

Members

See also

Notes

References

External links