The United Nations and Peace Building: Lessons From the UN Transitional Administrations in East Timor and Kosovo

In the post-cold war era the mandate of UN peacekeeping missions expanded to include peace making and nation building. The missions to East Timor and Kosovo represented an even greater expansion in the role and power of UN missions. They were established by resolution of the Security Council, not negotiation with the parties involved. They were given supreme authority to oversee the establishment of viable democratic states. But while the Security Council had agreed that East Timor would become independent, Russian objections prevented a decision on the final status of Kosovo. This had negative consequences for the development of Kosovo demonstrating the difficulties of building a viable democracy before a final status has been agreed.