International Steering Group for Kosovo

{{Politics of Kosovo}}

The International Steering Group for Kosovo (ISG) was an organization formed pursuant to the Ahtisaari Plan concerning the Kosovo status process. Made up of countries that recognized the declaration of independence, it was set up to guide Kosovo's democratic development and promote good governance, multi-ethnicity and the rule of law.

The group was responsible for appointing and overseeing the International Civilian Representative for Kosovo (ICR).{{citation|title=Letter dated 26 March 2007 from the Secretary-General addressed to the President of the Security Council, Addendum, Comprehensive Proposal for the Kosovo Status Settlement |publisher=United Nations Security Council |date=26 March 2007 |at=article 12.1 |url=http://www.unosek.org/docref/Comprehensive_proposal-english.pdf |quote=An International Steering Group (ISG) comprising key international stakeholders shall appoint an International Civilian Representative (ICR), and will seek United Nations Security Council endorsement of the appointment. The ICR and the European Union Special Representative (EUSR), appointed by the Council of the European Union, shall be the same person. |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091009130102/http://www.unosek.org/docref/Comprehensive_proposal-english.pdf |archive-date=2009-10-09 }} 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.{{citation|title=Letter dated 26 March 2007 from the Secretary-General addressed to the President of the Security Council, Addendum, Comprehensive Proposal for the Kosovo Status Settlement |publisher=United Nations Security Council |date=26 March 2007 |at=article 12.3 |url=http://www.unosek.org/docref/Comprehensive_proposal-english.pdf |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091009130102/http://www.unosek.org/docref/Comprehensive_proposal-english.pdf |archive-date=2009-10-09 }}{{citation | title= Letter dated 26 March 2007 from the Secretary-General addressed to the President of the Security Council | publisher= United Nations Security Council | date= 26 March 2007 | at= para. 11 of Annex | url= http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/retrieveattachments?openagent&shortid=YZHG-6ZNTVS&file=Full_Report.pdf | access-date= 2 March 2011 | archive-date= 14 December 2007 | archive-url= http://webarchive.loc.gov/all/20071214235411/http%3A//www.reliefweb.int/rw/RWFiles2007.nsf/FilesByRWDocUnidFilename/YZHG%2D6ZNTVS%2Dfull_report.pdf/%24File/full_report.pdf }} The European Union Special Representative (EUSR) for Kosovo (appointed by the Council of the European Union) was re-appointed by the ISG as the ICR.

The 2008 Kosovo declaration of independence formally "accept[ed] fully the obligations" of the Ahtisaari Plan.{{citation | title= 2008 Kosovo declaration of independence | author=Assembly of Kosovo | date= 17 February 2008 | quote= 3. We accept fully the obligations for Kosovo contained in the Ahtisaari Plan, and welcome the framework it proposes to guide Kosovo in the years ahead. }} It had its inaugural meeting on Thursday February 28, 2008. The group has been declared "illegal" by Serbia and condemned by Russia.{{cn|date=July 2021}}

On 10 September 2012, the International Steering Group had its final meeting{{cite web|url=http://www.ico-kos.org/f/pdf/COMMUNIQUE16thISG-Eng.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=2013-01-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131022143615/http://www.ico-kos.org/f/pdf/COMMUNIQUE16thISG-Eng.pdf |archive-date=2013-10-22 }}{{cite web|url=http://www.ico-kos.org/?id=61|title=Ending of supervised independence 10 September 2012|publisher=International Civilian Office|access-date=6 January 2013}} and formally ended its supervision,{{cite web|url=http://en.ria.ru/world/20120910/175884680.html|title=International Steering Group Ends Kosovo Supervision|author=Sputnik|date=10 September 2012|access-date=11 September 2012|archive-date=24 July 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140724045942/http://en.ria.ru/world/20120910/175884680.html}}

{{quotation|With immediate effect, the CSP no longer exists as a separate and superior legal power, and the Constitution of the Republic of Kosovo now constitutes the sole basis for the country's legal framework.}} and Kosovo became responsible for its own governance.{{cite web|url=http://www.ico-kos.org/f/pdf/COMMUNIQUE16thISG-Eng.pdf |title=Sixteenth and final meeting of the International Steering Group for Kosovo |date=10 September 2012 |publisher=International Civilian Office |access-date=6 January 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131022143615/http://www.ico-kos.org/f/pdf/COMMUNIQUE16thISG-Eng.pdf |archive-date=22 October 2013 }}