Agreed Points, on Russian Participation in KFOR, Helsinki Agreement

Извор/source: Предраг Симић, Пут у Рамбује: Косовска криза 1995-2000, 2000.

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It is agreed by the Secretary of Defense of the United States and the Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation :

•  To accept the Agreed Principles attached (attachment #1) as the basis for Russian participation in the international peacekeeping force (KFOR) in full compliance with UNSC Resolution 1244.

•  To provide for participation of one to two Russian battalions operating in Kosovska Kamenica in the US sector according to the attached command and control model (attachment #2). A Russian officer will serve as the Representative to the Sector Commander for Russian Forces.

•  Additionally, the US will recommend that NATO agree that Russian forces also participate in the KFOR forces deployed in the German and French sectors, also according to the command and control model (attachment #2), specifically that Russia provide one to two battalions to be part of the KFOR force in the German sector, to operate in the area near Malisevo, and one battalion to the KFOR force in the French sector, to operate in the area near Lausa both areas as shown on the attached map (attachment #3). A German company and a French company will also operate in the Malisevo and Lausa areas respectively. Russian officers will serve as Representatives for Russian Forces to the sector commanders in the German and French sectors, respectively.

•  The total Russian deployment in Kosovo will not exceed five battalions with a total strength not exceeding 2850 troops, plus up to 750 troops for the airfield and logistics base operation combined, plus 16 liaison officers. The level of Russian participation will be reduced in proportion to reductions in the overall size of KFOR.

•  To resolve the Pristina (Slatina) airfield issues on the basis of the allocation of responsibilities described in attachments #4 and #5. All KFOR participants will have access to the airfield, under procedures to be established by KFOR. Details to be determined by Commander, KFOR in consultation with Russian representatives.

•  That Russia will have the right to establish a logistics base with an appropriate site security in the vicinity of the town of Kosovo Polje, as agreed with COMKFOR, to support Russian forces in KFOR.

•  To send a Russian military representative to SHAPE and to augment his staff and expand his responsibilities to include Russian participation in KFOR, and to establish liaison and planning cells at AFSOUTH and KFOR as rapidly as possible in accordance with attachment #6.

•  To convene consultations as soon as possible to develop details for implementation of these agreements.

•  That these points, including determination on which sector the Russians will participate in, will be confirmed by the NAC for NATO and by the Government of the Russian Federation. The scheme of deployment of the Russian of KFOR may be reviewed and adjusted in the light of the prevailing circumstances by mutual agreement of the confirming parties, keeping in mind all aspects of a continued, appropriate Russian presence.

•  All command arrangements will preserve the principle of unity of command. It is understood that the Russian contingent in Kosovo will be under the political and military control of the Russian Command.

 

(signed) For the Department of Defense of the United States of America

(signed) For the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation

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Agreed Principles for Russian Participation
in the International Security Force (KFOR)
for Kosovo Helsinki Agreement

- Attachment 1 -

18 June 1999

Subject to political review and approval by NATO and Russian authorities, the following principles are accepted as the basis for Russian participation in a military effective peace enforcement operation in Kosovo:

1. Common Mission/Purpose: Under the mandate of UNSCR 1244 taken under Chapter VII of the UN Charter and according to the principles therein, and within the framework of the Military Technical Agreement between KFOR and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, KFOR will deploy to establish a secure environment for the return of refugees and Internally Displaced Persons and to monitor, and if necessary enforce, compliance with the Military Agreement and the demilitarization of the KLA. The participation of all national contingents in KFOR will be based on OPLAN 10413, Operation Joint Guardian.

2. Common Rules of Engagement: All contingents of KFOR will accepts and operate under common rules of engagement to be applied impartially in all areas toward all parties without exception.

3. Unity of Command: All command arrangements will preserve the principle of unity of command. This presumes that the Russian side exercises full political and military control over the Russian exception.

4. Single Airspace Management: All contingents of KFOR will operate under KFOR-established airspace and airfield management controls in accordance with agreements.

5. Single System of Ground movement Control: All ground movement will be conducted under the KFOR movement control procedures in accordance with agreements. To this end, a Russian liaison group will be created for communication and co-ordination, in accordance with the attached Liaison Arrangements for Russian forces in KFOR.

6. Intelligence Sharing and Exchange: Conduct as under IFOR and SFOR. Tactical mission-oriented information will be exchanged on an agreed basis.

7. Co-ordinated Public Information Process: Conducted as under IFOR and SFOR. Public Information messages will be co-ordinated and public information products exchanged.

8. Single System to Co-ordinate National Logistics and KFOR Base Support: KFOR may assist in co-ordinating national logistics operations among national contingents. All contingents of KFOR are responsible for their financial and logistics commitments.

9. KFOR Freedom of Manoeuvre and Operation: In the case where a sector commander, or a commander of a national contingent within a sector, declines to accept an order from the KFOR commander, COMKFOR will have full authority to order other KFOR forces, from that sector, or any other sector, to carry out the mission, and those other forces will have full freedom of manoeuvre and operation throughout the sector in question, including the zone of responsibility of the sector commander or national contingent commander, who declined to accept the order.

10. Command Structure: The command structure depicted on the attached chart (Russian Participation in KFOR) will be the command structure for Russian participation in KFOR.

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Russian Participation in KFOR

Helsinki Agreement

- Attachment 2 -

18 June 1999

 

 

A = Allied, Partner, or other non-Russian Contingent

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Russian Participation in KFOR

Helsinki Agreement

- Attachment 3 -

(click the map for enlargement)

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Russian Participation in KFOR

Helsinki Agreement

- Attachment 4 -

 

Allocation of Responsibilities between
RF Armed Forces and KFOR
at the Pristina (Slatina) Airfield.

• Overall direction for the operation of the airfield and airspace in the KFOR AOR will be provided by the Director of Kosovo Air Operations working for the KFOR Commander.
• The Chief of the Airfield, who carries out the functions enumerated in point 1 below, is a Russian officer, while the Chief of Air Movement, who carries out the function enumerated in point 2 below, is a representative of NATO. They will carry out their functions in the name of the Director of Air Operations in Kosovo and KFOR Commander.
  1. The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation will be responsible for:
     • Airfield Security
     • Airport Space Allocation
     • Ramp Management
     • Runway Inspection / Maintenance
     • Taxiway Inspection / Maintenance / FOD
     • Airfield Lighting
     • Public Works / Utilities
     • Protocol (Including linguistics)
     • Public Affairs
     • General Purpose Transportation
     • General Purpose Vehicle Maintenance / Fuels
     • Aircraft Fuels / Refuelling for Russian aircraft
  2. The Representative of NATO will be responsible for
     • Approach Control
     • Tower Services (includes Ground Control)
     • Flight Planning / NOTAMs
     • TERPs (if / as required)
     • Weather
     • NAVAIDs
     • Approach Lighting
     • Aerial Port Operations (Cargo and Passenger)
     • Aircraft Fuels /Refuelling for non-Russian aircraft
     • Crash / Fire Protection
• In each of the created functions assigned to NATO, a group of Russian representatives will be created. Detailed development of plans for these representatives will be accomplished after the Russian aviation group arrives at Pristina Airfield.
• The number of Russian Federation Armed Forces for performing their assigned tasks shall be determined on the basis of NATO-accepted standards.

 

NOTES:

•  There will be Russian officers serving as the Representatives for Russian Forces in the FR/GE/US sectors respectively

•  All troops in KFOR have full freedom of movement throughout the territory of Kosovo as ordered by COMKFOR

•  KFOR Commander has full authority to order NATO forces to execute missions refused by a Russian Commander

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Russian Participation in KFOR

Helsinki Agreement

- Attachment 5 -

Time Table for the Preparation for Functions and Initiation of Operations of the Pristina (Slatina Airfield)

Graphic of tentative Time Line for Bringing Slatina Airfield into Operation
(D-Day is the day where there is an exchange of notes accepting the agreement)

Events:

• Obtain Hungary's clearance for overflight of its territory for initial flights; remove all obstacles at the airfield; give UK access to all parts of airfield.
• Arrival, in no more than six IL76 aircraft, of Russian administrative team and essential airfield equipment. Arrival, in no more than six IL76 equivalent aircraft, of NATO air movement personnel and equipment. No further flights into the airfield until general opening.
• Work in preparation for the start of the operation of the airbase.
• Upon certification of the airfield for operation, begin routine air operations and provide access for all KFOR forces to the airfield with consent of COMKFOR. US/NATO will assist in obtaining clearances for further Russian overflight of foreign airspace with respect to deployment to Kosovo and back consistent with the Cohen / Sergeyev Agreed points on Russian Participation in KFOR.
• Delivery of necessary equipment and Russian airfield teams (detachments).
• Deployment of airfield equipment to support full scale functioning.

 

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Russian Participation in KFOR

Helsinki Agreement

- Attachment 6 -

 

Liaison Arrangements for Participation of Russian Forces in KFOR

The following detail the agreed liaison arrangements for Russian Forces in KFOR:

• Russian will return the Russian Military Representative to SHAPE, augment his staff and expand their responsibilities to include Russian participation in KFOR. The Russian representation will consist of up to 10 officers.
• Russia will establish a liaison group with HQ AFSOUTH. The Russian liaison group will consist of three officers.
• Russia will temporarily establish a liaison group with CAOC to co-ordinate the initial strategic deployment of Russia's peacekeeping contingent.
• Russia will establish a military representative at KFOR HQs for matters pertaining to the planning and employment of Russian peacekeeping contingent in KFOR:
  1. for planning (3-4 officers)
  2. for support (3-4 officers)
  3. for co-ordination of Russian activities in KFOR brigade zones (2-3) officers per zone where Russian Peacekeeping contingent are located)