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

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