United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244

UN Security Council
Resolution 1244
Official UN map of FR Yugoslavia from 1997.
Date10 June 1999
Meeting no.4,011
CodeS/RES/1244 (Document)
SubjectThe situation in Kosovo
Voting summary
  • 14 voted for
  • None voted against
  • 1 abstained
ResultAdopted
Security Council composition
Permanent members
Non-permanent members
← 1243 Lists of resolutions 1245 →

United Nations Security Council resolution 1244,[1] adopted on 10 June 1999, after recalling resolutions 1160 (1998), 1199 (1998), 1203 (1998) and 1239 (1999), authorised an international civil and military presence in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia[2][3] and established the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK).[4] It followed an agreement by Yugoslav President Slobodan Milošević to terms proposed by President of Finland Martti Ahtisaari and former Prime Minister of Russia Viktor Chernomyrdin on 8 June, involving withdrawal of all Yugoslav state forces from Kosovo (Annex 2 of the Resolution).

Resolution 1244 was adopted by 14 votes in favor to none against. China abstained despite being critical of the NATO offensive, particularly the bombing of its embassy. It argued that the conflict should be settled by the Yugoslav government and its people, and was opposed to external intervention. However, as the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia accepted the peace proposal, China did not veto the resolution.[4]

Kosovo unilaterally declared its independence in 2008; Serbia and some other UN member states maintain that Resolution 1244 remains legally binding to all parties.[5] The International Court of Justice ruled that the declaration of independence did not violate the resolution.[6][7]

  1. ^ "RESOLUTION 1244 (1999)". undocs.org. Retrieved 9 March 2017.
  2. ^ "Profile: Serbia and Montenegro". BBC. 5 June 2006.
  3. ^ Member States of the United Nations, UN.org: "Serbia – date of admission 1 November 2000, The Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was admitted as a Member of the United Nations by General Assembly resolution A/RES/55/12 of 1 November 2000. On 4 February 2003, following the adoption and promulgation of the Constitutional Charter of Serbia and Montenegro by the Assembly of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, the official name of "Federal Republic of Yugoslavia" was changed to Serbia and Montenegro. In a letter dated 3 June 2006, the President of the Republic of Serbia informed the Secretary-General that the membership of Serbia and Montenegro was being continued by the Republic of Serbia, following Montenegro's declaration of independence."
  4. ^ a b "Security Council, welcoming Yugoslavia's acceptance of peace principles, authorises civil, security presence in Kosovo". United Nations. 10 June 1999.
  5. ^ "General Assembly GA/10980". United Nations. 9 September 2010. Retrieved 7 November 2013.
  6. ^ Tanner, Adam; Stevenson, Reed (22 July 2010). "Kosovo independence declaration deemed legal"
  7. ^ "Latest developments | Accordance with international law of the unilateral declaration of independence in respect of Kosovo | International Court of Justice". www.icj-cij.org. Retrieved 13 July 2021