SLOVENIA: PRM A/S DEWEY'S LETTER TO UNHCR DONORS

UNCLAS LJUBLJANA 000061 SIPDIS SENSITIVE DEPT FOR PRM, EUR/NCE, EUR/SCE, IO E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID PREF PGOV SI UNHCR SUBJECT: SLOVENIA: PRM A/S DEWEY'S LETTER TO UNHCR DONORS DELIVERED REF: SECSTATE 13118 SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED. PLEASE PROTECT ACCORDINGLY. ¶1. (U) ON 23 JANUARY, ECONOFF DELIVERED PRM A/S DEWEY'S LETTER TO DONORS WHO PLEDGED CONTRIBUTIONS TO UNHCR'S 2004 PROGRAM TO MARJAN SETINC, MFA STATE UNDERSECRETARY FOR DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION AND HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE. SETINC WELCOMED THE A/S'S LETTER AND NOTED THAT THE UNHCR WILL REMAIN ONE OF SLOVENIA'S PRIMARY DESTINATIONS OF DEVELOPMENT AND HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE -- UNDP AND UNICEF BEING THE OTHER TWO. ALTHOUGH HE DID NOT PROVIDE ACTUAL PLEDGE AMOUNTS, SETINC REPORTED THAT HIS OFFICE WILL LIKELY OPERATE WITH A US $800,000 BUDGET FOR 2004 -- A US $300,000 INCREASE FROM 2003. ¶2. (SBU) SETINC EXPLAINED THAT THE FORMER YUGOSLAV FEDERATION REGION WILL REMAIN THE FOCUS OF SLOVENIA'S DEVELOPMENT AND HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS. HOWEVER, HE EXPRESSED CONCERN AND DISAPPOINTMENT OVER THE "REGION'S INABILITY TO SETTLE OPEN ISSUES AND TO OVERCOME ROADBLOCKS TO A PERMANENT SETTLEMENT." HE WAS ACUTELY CONCERNED OVER THE FUTURE OF KOSOVO FOLLOWING THE RECENT SERBIAN PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS. "THE FUTURE OF KOSOVO IS THE KEY TO SUCCESS IN SETTLING A NUMBER OF OPEN ISSUES. THE DISPUTES BETWEEN ALBANIANS AND MACEDONIANS WILL NOT BE RESOLVED UNLESS PROGRESS IS MADE ON THE ISSUE OF KOSOVO," SETINC COMMENTED. ¶3. (SBU) A COURTESY COPY OF REFTEL LETTER WAS ALSO PROVIDED TO LOCAL UNHCR REPRESENTATIVE GREG GARRAS, WHO EXPRESSED PROFUSE GRATITUDE FOR WASHINGTON'S INITIATIVE, REMARKING "OUR HEADQUARTERS DOESN'T ALWAYS APPRECIATE THE IMPORTANCE THOSE KIND OF POLITICAL GESTURES HAVE, BUT IT MAKES A HUGE DIFFERENCE IN OUR FUNDRAISING EFFORTS. IT'S GREAT THAT THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY WAS WILLING TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT. EVEN IF GENEVA DOESN'T APPRECIATE IT, THOSE OF US IN THE FIELD DO." YOUNG NNNN