SUBJECT: GOI WILL DISCUSS KPC REFORM, UNION OF SERB MUNICIPALITIES, AND GOSM COOPERATION WITH ICTY DURING CONFIDENTIAL

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 001063 SIPDIS DEPT FOR EUR/SCE AND EUR/WE E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/14/2013 TAGS: PREL PGOV YI IT NATO SUBJECT: SUBJECT: GOI WILL DISCUSS KPC REFORM, UNION OF SERB MUNICIPALITIES, AND GOSM COOPERATION WITH ICTY DURING CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 ROME 01063 141131Z MARCH 20 QUINT MEETING IN LONDON REF: REF: A) STATE 59321 B) STATE 52211 C) STATE 62764 CLASSIFIED BY: CLASSIFIED BY A/POL MINISTER COUNSELOR GARY ROBBINS. REA SON:1.5 (B)(D) ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: ON MARCH 11, MFA BALKAN AFFAIRS OFFICE DIRECTOR FERNANDO GENTILINI TOLD POLOFF THAT THE GOI AGREES WITH USG POINTS (REFTELS) ON THE NEED FOR KOSOVO PROTECTION CORPS (KPC) REFORM, FORMATION OF THE UNION OF SERB MUNICIPALITIES, AND, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF CARDS ASSISTANCE, TYING IC AID TO GOSM COOPERATION WITH THE ICTY. ITALY LOOKS FORWARD TO DISCUSSING THESE ISSUES AT THE MARCH 20 QUINT IN LONDON. END SUMMARY. KPC REFORM -------------- ¶2. (C) GENTILINI TOLD POLOFF THAT THE GOI CONCURS WITH USG VIEW (REF A) THAT COORDINATED QUINT ACTION IS NECESSARY TO ENERGIZE THE KOSOVO PROTECTION CORPS REFORM PROCESS. HE HAD ALREADY INSTRUCTED ITALIAN MISSIONS IN BELGRADE AND PRISTINA TO PRESS LOCAL AUTHORITIES FOR A QUICK START-UP OF THE CIVIL PROTECTION DEVELOPMENT GROUP. ¶3. (C) GENTILINI SAID THAT AT THE MARCH 20 QUINT MEETING IN LONDON THE GOI WOULD UNDERLINE THE NEED FOR A COORDINATED, CLEAR STRATEGY IN KOSOVO TO TURN "STANDARDS BEFORE STATUS" FROM MERELY A SLOGAN TO A DEVELOPMENT ACTION PLAN. EU HIREP SOLANA'S STAFF WAS DRAFTING A NON-PAPER TO HELP THE IC MOVE CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 ROME 01063 141131Z IN THAT DIRECTION; IT WAS GENTILINI'S HOPE THAT THE QUINT COULD DISCUSS THE PAPER IN LONDON. HE ALSO SAID THAT THERE WAS A GROWING PERCEPTION IN THE IC THAT "NO ONE IS IN CHARGE" IN KOSOVO, AND HE WAS NOT SURE HOW MUCH LOCAL QUINT REPRESENTATIVES COULD DO TO CHANGE THAT SITUATION. "IT MAY BE TIME FOR ANOTHER HIGH-LEVEL (SOLANA) VISIT." UNION OF SERB MUNICIPALITIES -------------- ¶4. (C) THE GOI ALSO SHARES USG CONCERNS OVER THE FORMATION OF THE UNION OF SERB MUNICIPALITIES (REF B). SUCH ORGANIZATIONS ARE NOT TO BE ENCOURAGED, SAID GENTILINI, AND THE TENDENCY OF LOCALS TO FORM SUCH GROUPS OUTSIDE OF THE UNSC 1244 FRAMEWORK IS YET ANOTHER MANIFESTATION OF THE LACK OF STRONG LEADERSHIP IN THE REGION. IT WAS OBVIOUS, HE SAID, THAT THIS WAS BEING DONE WITH A WINK AND PERHAPS ACTIVE ENCOURAGEMENT AND ASSISTANCE FROM BELGRADE. GENTILINI CONCURRED WITH, AND WOULD INSTRUCT GOI MISSIONS TO PARTICIPATE IN ACTIVITIES DESCRIBED REF B TO DISCOURAGE CONTACT WITH SUCH ORGANIZATIONS. BUT HE EMPHASIZED THAT THIS EFFORT NEEDED TO BE PART OF A COORDINATED STRATEGY FOR THE QUINT TO DISCUSS IN LONDON. GOSM COOPERATION WITH ICTY -------------- ¶5. (C) GENTILINI SAID THAT THE GOI AGREED THAT THE IC MUST USE ALL TOOLS AT ITS DISPOSAL TO PRESS THE GOSM TO IMPROVE COOPERATION WITH THE ICTY (REF C). FOR EUROPEAN COUNTRIES, THAT WOULD INCLUDE CONDITIONALITY ON BELGRADE'S REQUEST TO CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 04 ROME 01063 141131Z JOIN THE COE AND DEVELOPMENT OF A STABILIZATION AND ASSOCIATION AGREEMENT. HOWEVER, HE CONTINUED, THAT CONDITIONALITY SHOULD NOT EXTEND TO CARDS ASSISTANCE, WHICH IS AIMED AT SUPPORTING THE VERY INSTITUTIONAL CAPACITY THAT THE IC IS TRYING TO PROMOTE, AND INCREASING CONFIDENCE IN THE RULE OF LAW. GENTILINI ARGUED THAT IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND IF ONE WAS A SERB WHY, AT THE MOMENT THE COUNTRY WAS BEGINNING TO MAKE PROGRESS ON RECONSTRUCTING THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM AND OTHER SEGMENTS OF THE LEGAL INFRASTRUCTURE, THE IC HALTED SUCH AID. IT WOULD BE COUNTERPRODUCTIVE TO THE IC'S GOALS. ¶6. (C) NOTE: THIS CONVERSATION TOOK PLACE PRIOR TO THE DJINDJIC ASSASSINATION. POLOFF WILL FOLLOW UP WITH GENTILINI ON POINTS RELATED TO THE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS IN BELGRADE THAT GOI WILL RAISE AT THE QUINT AND EU GAC AND COUNCIL MEETINGS DURING THE WEEK OF MARCH 17. SEMBLER CONFIDENTIAL > 2003ROME01063 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL