MFA ON FINI'S BALKANS VISIT; DAS STEPHENS ROME

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 000746

SIPDIS


DEPT FOR EUR/SCE, EUR/WE

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/04/2015
TAGS: PREL SR IT KI EUN
SUBJECT: MFA ON FINI'S BALKANS VISIT; DAS STEPHENS ROME
VISIT

Classified By: POL MINISTER COUNSELOR TOM COUNTRYMAN. REASON: 1.4 (B)(
D)


1. (C) Summary: The MFA told us that FM Fini's February
23-25 Balkans visit had been"constructive," and that Fini
reassured his interlocutors that Italy would "maintain
maximum attention" to the region. In Belgrade he pointed out
that ICTY cooperation remains crucial for the region's
advancement towards Europe. DPM Labus promised that Belgrade
would produce a revised compromise proposal on Kosovo
decentralization in the coming weeks. On the SaM State
Union, Fini reiterated that the common State is still the
fastest avenue to Europe, but Montenegrin President Vujanovic
insisted that a union of independent States between Serbia
and Montenegro the only way forward. In Pristina Fini
passed a clear message to all interlocutors: the focus must
remain on standards implementation, particularly on areas
linked to multi-ethnicity. PolDir Terzi will brief Contact
Group ambassadors on the trip on March 9. The MFA is looking
forward to productive exchanges during DAS Stephens March 15
Rome visit. End Summary.

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Belgrade
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2. (C) In a review of FM Fini's February 23-25 Balkans visit,
MFA Balkans Office Director Raimondo De Cardona underscored
the views Fini had expressed during his numerous public
statements and press conferences in the region. De Cardona
told poloff that all of Fini's consultations in region had
been "constructive." In Belgrade, he met with SaM President
Marovic, MFA Draskovic, Serbian PM Kostunica DPM Labus and
Montenegrin President Vujanovic. Fini conveyed to all
Belgrade authorities a message of support for the reform
process in SaM and stressed that Italy would "maintain
maximum attention" to the region. Fini also voiced Italy's
call for all democratic forces to bridge their differences
and unite in the common objective of advancing towards Europe.


3. (C) According to De Cardona Fini urged that SaM and the
two Republics' governments work hard and cooperatively in the
run-up to the EU Feasibility Study at the end of March. He
also praised Serbian authorities for recent improvements in
ICTY cooperation (exemplified by the voluntary surrender of
General Lazarevic). ICTY cooperation remains crucial, Fini
stressed, for the region's advancement towards Europe. He
cited with his SaM interlocutors Zagreb's handling of the
Gotovina case and its repercussions on Croatia's EU accession
process. In an aside, De Cardona said that a "growing
consensus" in the EU favored blocking Croatia's accession
start date until Zagreb demonstrated "full cooperation" with
the ICTY, and that the definition of full cooperation was
becoming nothing less than Gotovina's delivery to The Hague.


4. (C) De Cardona said that Fini's interlocutors recognized
that a positive Feasibility Study would be a long
sought-after advancement towards European integration and a
concrete "reward" for the efforts made by Belgrade
authorities. Kostunica acknowledged that cooperation with
ICTY is a "very complex problem," requiring months of work to
be addressed correctly. But now a solution (i.e. the
voluntary surrender) has been found, continued Kostunica,
acceptable both for the state and for the indictees. He
predicted that this new approach would "continue to reap
results until the end," which De Cardona read as Serbia
employing this method for sending PIFWCs to the Hague in the
future.


5. (C) On Kosovo, Fini stressed that it was in Belgrade's
best interest to participate actively in the process to find
a political solution. The Italian government is fully aware
of the need to improve standards implementation, especially
in the field of security, returns and minority rights, as
well as to achieve results in decentralization and in the
issue of protection of religious and cultural heritage sites.
Nonetheless it is convinced that these goals can be achieved
only through Belgrade's cooperation and full commitment.
Kostunica and Labus complained that the Belgrade Plan on
decentralization was in principle welcomed but de facto
rejected by the international community. They remarked that
the UNMIK plan does not include Belgrade's core proposals,
especially those aimed at improving K/Serb security and
protection of their basic rights. While Kostunica opined
that this was a violation of UNSC 1244, Labus recognized that
the current stalemate requires an alternative proposal to be
presented by Belgrade in the coming weeks.



6. (C) On the SaM State Union, Fini reiterated that the
common State is still the fastest avenue to Europe. Italy is
certainly ready to respect the will of the people, but it
would nevertheless seem contradictory to ignore problems of
regional cooperation while promoting European integration.
Marovic recognized that the State Union has been instrumental
in improving political stability, while Vujanovic insisted
that the new proposal for a union of independent States
between Serbia and Montenegro, made public by the government
of Montenegro on February 23, was "the only way forward."
Fini remarked that starting a debate on this issue now would
only divert attention from more urgent matters and generate
delays. Oddly, Vujanovic replied that Montenegro "is not in
a hurry", thus contradicting his usual argument that
independence would speed up Podgorica's integration process
into Euro-Atlantic institutions.

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Pristina
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7. (C) In Pristina, Fini met Pres. Rugova, PM Haradinaj and
K/Serb representatives (Ivanovic, Krstic, Bogdanovic and
Petkovic). Fini passed a clear message to all interlocutors:
the focus must remain on standards implementation,
particularly on areas linked to multi-ethnicity. He
emphasized that concrete progress on key standards was a
precursor to any move forward on status negotiations and
advancement towards EU membership ("the future of Kosovo is
in your hands" Fini told his interlocutors). Fini underscored
the IC's expectations of tangible results on
decentralization, and urged progress on associated pilot
projects. In this respect, justice and police issues must be
addressed with special care and in accordance with UNMIK
policies. Fini said that Italy is firmly convinced that the
"ultimate solution" is integration of the whole region,
Kosovo included, into the EU. Immediate and unconditional
independence, partition and return to pre-1999 situation are
all unrealistic options. International and regional players
(including Moscow and Belgrade) must "think creatively" about
a compromise solution, acceptable to all and sustainable in
the long run.


8. (C) Fini welcomed the resumption of the Belgrade-Pristina
direct dialogue, scheduled for March 10th, focusing initially
on missing persons. He urged that future sessions focus on
other specific problems that need to be properly addressed to
consolidate the overall process, such as border disputes,
particularly in the case of Macedonia/Serbia/Kosovo. De
Cardona said that Haradinaj made no reference to status
issues while Rugova appeared "detached from reality" and
continuously called for full and immediate Kosovo
independence as the solution for all regional problems. Fini
urged his K/Serb interlocutors to take a more active role in
developing Kosovar institutions, as participation is the only
method to address legitimate concerns. He suggested that
they need to better coordinate positions, among themselves
and also with Belgrade, which retains a role in Kosovo
issues; their lack of unity prevents them from achieving
substantial results.

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DAS Stephens' visit
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9. (SBU) De Cardona reiterated that he and others in the
ministry were looking forward to DAS Stephens' visit to Rome
on March 15. Poloff and De Cardona are coordinating the
agenda (draft forwarded to EUR/SCE) which will likely include
meetings with the European Affairs Director General and MFA
Political Director, and with former PM Amato if schedules
allow. Separately, Political Director Giulio Terzi has
invited Ambassadors of US, UK, France, Germany and Russia to
lunch March 9 to discuss Fini,s trip and the way ahead on
Kosovo.

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2005ROME00746 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL