KOSOVO and ICTY: KOSTUNICA BRIEFS HIS PUBLIC

UNCLAS BELGRADE 001103

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O.12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM SR MW YI
SUBJECT: KOSOVO and ICTY: KOSTUNICA BRIEFS HIS PUBLIC



1. (U) SUMMARY: On July 3, Prime Minister Kostunica was interviewed
by editors of four major Serbia news outlets (Vecernje Novosti,
BETA, Danas, Standard) on national television (RTS) in which he
explained his position on Kosovo and ICTY. Prime Minister Kostunica
said categorically that he will never accept an independent Kosovo
and reported that his recent engagement with Contact Group leaders
Qhas shown results.Q Kostunica warned that an imposed solution in
Kosovo Qcannot remain without consequencesQ and will be a threat to
Serbian democracy. The Prime Minister also said his ICTY Qaction
planQ will assure both the public and the international community
that the GOS is committed to full compliance with the process. END
SUMMARY.


KOSOVO
--------------


2. (U) The Prime Minister said that he is Qnot prepared and cannot
acceptQ an independent Kosovo, and therefore Serbs Qcannot be
preparedQ for that possibility. Calling an independent Kosovo
Qcontrary to the basic principles of international law and
democratic principles,Q Kostunica said that an imposed independence
for Kosovo Qcannot remain without consequences,Q warning that he
would Qnot be able to defend democracy in Serbia.Q Kostunica said
that along with Kosovo, delays in European integration were
weakening democratic forces.


3. (U) The Prime Minister told his people that he has Qraised by an
octaveQ the GOSQs position on Kosovo including during talks with
heads of Contact Group countries. Labeling the results of this
diplomatic offensive as Qencouraging,Q the PM said this Qhas shown
results,Q noting that none of the leaders had implied the solution
for Kosovo is independence. (Note: Kostunica saw German Chancellor
Merkel May 15, Russian President Putin June 12, UK PM Blair on June
27, and will see Italian Premier Prodi on July 5 before his meeting
with the Secretary on July 11. End note.) In addition, Kostunica
said that the QcampaignQ of private messages indicating independence
for Kosovo had waned as there is a Qraised awarenessQ in Contact
Group capitals and Brussels of BelgradeQs views. These Qsobering
talks,Q the Prime Minister insisted, left him certain that
negotiations would lead to a solution that is not reached hastily
because QSerbia would reject [independence for Kosovo] and still
consider Kosovo a part of its territory.


4. (U) The Prime Minister described the GOSQ negotiating platform
for Kosovo (which the GOS released to the public in May 2006) as
offering Albanians Qthe highest degree of autonomyQ while retaining
issues of borders and foreign policy in Belgrade. He said that
redrawing borders and creating an independent Kosovo is Qthe
anti-European solution,Q adding that both he and Russian President
Putin have warned on several occasions of the precedent independence
for Kosovo would set.

ICTY
--------------


5. (U) Kostunica said he believes that the GOSQ Qaction planQ for
cooperation with the Hague tribunal will eliminate "all
misinformation" and convince the world of SerbiaQs commitment to its
obligations. He said he is working to convince Serbs that
Qcooperation with ICTY is necessary and that one man cannot be more
important than all the others.Q Kostunica added that ICTYQs recent
two-year sentence for Bosnia-Herzegovia war criminal Naser Oric was
Qa direct mocking of justice.


6. (SBU) Comment: Kostunica used this national broadcast as an
opportunity to raise expectations that Serbia will succeed in
convincing the world to keep Kosovo in Serbia. This is part of the
GoS' declared strategy to raise its argumentation on Kosovo "by an
octave" in order to be better heard in world capitals.
POLT