Kosovo Focused Programs

Moving Forward on Northern Kosovo

(Washington, DC, 2011 / Medford, MA 2012)
Organized two expert workshops to evaluate the various current proposals for the North, to develop policy recommendations for a more inclusive negotiation and implementation process, and to consider successful regional models for resolving similar challenges.

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Ready to Govern: Preparing for Independence

(Kosovo, 2007)
A strategic engagement designed to help leaders in Kosovo develop improved communication capacity, engage the public in Constitutional processes, and develop a homegrown donor strategy. Among the advisors the Project brought to Kosovo with its local partners the East West Management Institute and the Rockefeller Brothers Fund were:

Afghanistan
Ashraf Ghani, former Minster of Finance in Afghanistan

South Africa
Roelf Meyer, former Chief Negotiator for De Klerk and Minister of Constitutional Affairs, South Africa

United States
John Podesta, former Chief of Staff to President Clinton, USA

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Ready to Govern: Developing a Strategy for Kosovo’s First 120 Days

(Pocantico Estate, New York State, 2007)
Facilitated a several day retreat for senior members of the Kosovar government
to consider the logistics involved in implementing the Ahtisaari Plan
during the first 120 days after a UN resolution on the region’s
status. The Pocantico meeting ended with the Pocantico Declaration, which
facilitated on-going collaboration between Unity Team members in the
months prior to Independence.

Afghanistan
Ashraf Ghani, former Minster of Finance in Afghanistan

Austria
Ambassador Wolfgang Petritsch, Permanent Representative of Austria to the United Nations in Geneva

East Timor
Nelson Santos, Ambassador, Permanent Representative of Timor-Leste to the United Nations

Great Britain
Chris McCabe, British Joint Secretary of the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference and Political Director of the Northern Ireland Office in Belfast

South Africa
Roelf Meyer, former Chief Negotiator for De Klerk and Minister of Constitutional Affairs, South Africa

Sri Lanka
Ram Manikkalingam, Presidential Advisor in Sri Lanka

United States
President Clinton, former President of the United States
Madeline Albright, former Secretary of State
Nick Burns, Ambassador, Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs
Richard Holbrook, American Ambassador and Diplomat

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Developing a Vision for the Future

(Rahovec, Kaminice and Prizren, 2005)

Held three municipal meetings with political and community leaders in
Kosovo to jump start discussion among them about how to go about strengthening
local government institutions in the region. Discussions in these municipalities
were facilitated with the help of mayors and NGO leaders from other Balkan countries including:

Bosnia & Herzegovina
Ferhat Mustafic, Mayor of Gradacac, Bosnia & Herzegovina
Zlatan Ohranovic, Executive Director, Center for Civic Initiatives in Tuzla, Bosnia & Herzegovina;
Hajrundin Somun, Special Advisor for International Relations, Gradacac, Bosnia & Herzegovina.

Czech Republic
Petr Gandalovic, Mayor, Usti nad Labem in the Czech Republic

Croatia
Branka Kaselj, Executive Director, Center for Peace, Nonviolence and Human Rights in Croatia

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Crafting Strategies for Negotiation and Effective Engagement

(Vienna, Austria, 2004)
Brought together 14 senior Serb leaders in Kosovo to provide comparative perspectives from other transitional contexts on preparing for negotiations and power-sharing arrangements.

Bosnia & Herzegovina
Branko Damjanac, former Mayor of Brcko District, Bosnia & Herzegovina.

Croatia
Milorad Pupovac, Representative of the Serbian National Minority in Croatia and Member of the Parliamentary Committee on Migration, Refugees and Population;

South Africa
Ismail Ebrahim Ebrahim, Political Advisor to the Deputy President of South Africa; Chair, Parliamentary Foreign Affairs Committee; senior participant in the multi-party negotiations and member of the African National Congress Executive Committee
Roelf Meyer, former Chief Negotiator for De Klerk and Minister of Constitutional Affairs of South Africa

Northern Ireland
Seán Farren, Senior Social Democratic and Labor Party (SDLP) Negotiator, former Northern Ireland Assembly member and former Minister for Finance
David Ervine, Senior Negotiator in the talks leading to the 1998 Good Friday Agreement and Chief Spokesman of the Progressive Unionist Party in Northern Ireland

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Crafting Strategies for Negotiation

(Burg Schlaining, Austria, 2003)
Brought together 15 senior leaders of the Kosovar Provisional Self Government to provide comparative perspectives from other transitional contexts on preparing for negotiations.Moderators:

Ambassador Wolfgang Petritsch, Permanent Representative of Austria to the United Nations in Geneva

Thomas Hammarberg, Secretary General, Olof Palme International Centre.

International speakers included:

Chile
John Biehl, Advisor to the Government of Costa Rica during the Central American Peace Accords in 1987; former Secretary General of the Presidency of Chile; and former Ambassador to the United States;

Israel
Pini Meidan, former Foreign Policy Advisor and senior negotiator for Prime Minister Barak in the 2002 Camp David talks;

Northern Ireland
David Ervine, Senior Negotiator in the talks leading to the 1998 Good Friday Agreement, and Chief Spokesman of the Progressive Unionist Party in Northern Ireland

South Africa
Ismail Ebrahim Ebrahim, Political Advisor to the Deputy President of South Africa; Chair, Parliamentary Foreign Affairs Committee; senior participant in the multi-party negotiations and member of the African National Congress Executive Committee.
Roelf Meyer, former Chief Negotiator for De Klerk and Minister of Constitutional Affairs of South Africa

The Republic of Ireland
Albert Reynolds, former Prime Minister of the Republic of Ireland and key participant in the Northern Ireland peace process

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