FRATTINI TO FLOAT EU BALKANS ROADMAP

UNCLAS ROME 004107

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

DEPT FOR EUR/SCE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV KDEM YI SR MW IT BI
SUBJECT: FRATTINI TO FLOAT EU BALKANS ROADMAP

REF: ROME 3879


1. (SBU) Summary. The Italian MFA December 19 hosted a
conference on Balkans issues attended by Albanian Foreign
Minister Besnik Mustafaj, Vice President of the European
Commission Franco Frattini, and members of the Italian MFA
Department for Balkan Affairs. Frattini stated that on
January 9, after Austria assumes the EU presidency, the EC
would propose a roadmap for EU engagement in the Balkans.
The roadmap would call for an EU envoy for Kosovo status
talks and Dayton implementation. Mustafaj called Kosovo
ground zero for the Albanian question in Europe and insisted
that negotiations cannot lead to a return of Kosovo to
Serbia. The Serbia/Montenegro DCM read a prepared statement
that insisted the international community must "respect
international law" and avoid any changes in current
boundaries and should not impose a solution in resolving
Kosovo's status. Present at the meeting was Amb. Laura
Mirachian, who did not hide her disappointment for having
been passed over for High Representative in Bosnia. End
summary.


2. (SBU) On December 19, the MFA used the visit by the
Albanian Foreign Minister to organize a conference on the
Balkans entitled "The Balkans, Kosovo: A Challenge for
Europe". The Italian conference gave participants, which
included Frattini, EC member Emma Bonino and members of the
Italian MFA Balkans department, the opportunity to articulate
Italy's interests in the Balkans to the public. During the
presentations, Frattini noted that the EC would present a
roadmap for EU Balkan engagement at a meeting with the
Austria EU presidency on January 9. The roadmap would call
for an EU envoy to the Balkans and a renewed push for
continued EU leadership in Bosnia and Kosovo. Frattini noted
that stability in the Balkans affects the entire EU, and
therefore, he would press the EU to take a more directive
role in its relationships with Balkan countries. (Comment:
Post will request additional details on the proposed roadmap
from Frattini's office). Frattini added that despite
dwindling public support for EU enlargement, he would
continue to lobby the EU to hold out the possibility of
membership as an incentive for continued democratic and
economic reforms in the region.


3. (SBU) Mustafaj began his presentation by stating that
Kosovo was "ground zero" for the Albanian "question" in
Europe. The current situation could not be allowed to
persist. From the Albanian perspective, the situation could
not revert to the pre-1999 political arrangement and the
international community could not allow Belgrade to enter
into the negotiations with a predetermined outcome as their
final position. Albania favored "conditional independence"
with a strong international presence as the final outcome of
status talks. The Serbia/Montenegro ambassador arrived
early, greeted participants, and excused himself from the
discussion claiming prior engagements. The Serbia/Montenegro
DCM read a prepared statement insisting that the
international community must recognize international law and
avoid any changes in internationally-recognized boundaries.
He added that Belgrade was willing to offer the greatest
level of autonomy to Kosovo and accept an indefinite
international protectorate, but warned that it would reject
an imposed solution. (Comment: The SaM ambassador, a
Montenegrin, likely excused himself in order to avoid having
to read the Belgrade-prepared text.)


4. (SBU) Comment: The conference, while providing no new
insights on Italian Balkan policy, was an important part of
the GOI's public outreach program to maintain public support
for Italian leadership in the region. Amb. Laura Mirachian,
the Italian candidate for Bosnian High Representative,
attended the conference, perhaps signaling her continued
interest in the Balkans despite the fact that she holds no
official position in the MFA related to the Balkans. The GOI
has given us no official comment on Mirachian's rejection,
but the MFA is clearly disappointed. After lobbying
intensely for a recognized international leadership position
in the Balkans, the GOI believes it was unfairly snubbed by
other major EU powers.
SPOGLI