Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06BELGRADE54
2006-01-17 08:07:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Belgrade
Cable title:  

MONTENEGRIN INDEPEDENCE REFERENDUM NOTES: EU ENVOY

Tags:  PGOV PREL MW SR 
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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 BELGRADE 000054 

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL MW SR
SUBJECT: MONTENEGRIN INDEPEDENCE REFERENDUM NOTES: EU ENVOY
LAJCAK PROPOSES 'KEY PRINCIPLES'


SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED - PLEASE HANDLE ACCORDINGLY

REF: 2005 Belgrade 2185

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 BELGRADE 000054

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL MW SR
SUBJECT: MONTENEGRIN INDEPEDENCE REFERENDUM NOTES: EU ENVOY
LAJCAK PROPOSES 'KEY PRINCIPLES'


SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED - PLEASE HANDLE ACCORDINGLY

REF: 2005 Belgrade 2185


1. (SBU) Summary: EU Envoy Lajcak has widely circulated
"Key Principles" for the referendum process, which have
even appeared in the press (text below). Lajcak told
Consulate January 12 that he is focused on "parliamentary
and systemic" solutions, rejecting opposition proposals for
a national unity government and placing opposition "co-
heads" in police and media bodies. Lajcak says the talks
will start January 23, and believes they can be concluded
by the end of February, which would allow a vote by the end
of April. Lajak's confident planning to a referendum is a
refreshing change from earlier EU hopes to see the vote
postponed. We should support Lajak's efforts not only to
reach the necessary compromise, but also to plan the
implementation of the referendum. End summary.

Meetings to Start January 23 on "Technical" Issues
-------------- --------------


2. (U) Lajcak told Consulate Podgorica January 12 that the
process of working out the rules for the referendum would
start January 23. (Discussions about alleged irregularities
in a December 29 local by-election will occupy Parliament
the week of January 16.) The talks will start with a focus
on "technical" issues such as access to the media, and be
conducted in the Parliament building, with Lajcak (at least
initially) shuttling between the government and the
opposition. Talks will also be held at the party leader
level. Lajcak expects talks to conclude by the end of
February, with agreement reached both on how to strengthen
the legal framework and on non-binding issues, such as an
agreement that MPs will respect the results of the
referendum vote in any post-vote parliamentary decisions
(Reftel).


3. (SBU) Speaker of Parliament Ranko Krivokapic told Lajcak
he would finesse the issue of the February 7 parliament
session, at which the GOM initially planned to formally
table the President's request for an independence
referendum. The session will be called into order, and
immediately adjourned, according to Krivokapic's proposal.


4. (SBU) Lajcak has rejected opposition proposals for a
national unity government, or placing opposition "co-
chairs" in the police and public media, noting that

acceptance of such proposals would imply that Montenegro's
systems and structures are inadequate and do not meet
European standards. He said the talks should focus instead
on "parliamentary and systemic" solutions.

Referendum: Legitimacy of the Vote
--------------


5. (SBU) Lajcak will defer discussion of qualified
majorities, super-majorities, and the like, until later in
the talks. He observed to our Consulate that there was no
sense in a "compromise" figure between having independence
approved by 40 percent of registered voters (the GOM
position),and 50 percent plus one (the opposition
position). (Comment: If forced to arbitrate, we suspect but
do not know that Lajcak would pick 40 percent.) Lajcak is
also considering a third course, where the referendum poses
two alternative questions. The first would ask if the voter
supported Montenegrin independence, and the second whether
the voter supported continuation of the State Union. Each
voter would vote yes on either question one or question
two. The referendum vote would be valid if 50 percent plus
one of all registered voters cast a ballot. In that event,
whichever question got a majority of votes cast would win.
Lajcak observed that this avoids the problem where voters
who abstain, for any reason, essentially count as "no"
votes.

The Belgrade Angle
--------------


6. Lajcak noted that he met with Serbian PM Kostunica's
advisors Samardzic and Jankovic on January 11. They
stressed that Serb People's Party (SNS) leader Andrija
Mandic is "ready to talk" to Lajcak. Lajcak added that as
long as Mandic was abstaining from the parliamentary
discussions, he saw no need to reach out to SNS. Lajcak
observed that in his meetings with the rest of the
opposition on January 12, they were "not worried" about the
SNS boycott of the talks. To the contrary, they appeared
"happy to have the SNS sit this one out."

Post-Referendum Realities
--------------

7. (SBU) SaM President Marovic told Lajcak he was concerned
that "no one cares about the day after" the referendum.
Lajcak told Consulate officers that Serbian PM Kostunica
was particularly determined not to do any planning for the
post-referendum period, regardless of the outcome. That
does not mean that Kostunica is neutral however, observed
Lajcak, who agreed with our suggestion that the Serbian
media should be asked to follow the "code of conduct"
developed for the Montenegrin media.

Comment
--------------


8. (SBU) Based on our conversations, we agree that some,
but not all, pro-Union politicians are refusing to think
about the day after. Others, particularly SNP leader
Predrag BULATOVIC, are quietly sniffing out survival
strategies following a potential loss in the referendum.
Pro-independence politicians are developing detailed
strategies for either contingency.

9. (SBU) The number of issues Ambassador Lajcak intends to
address before a referendum is announced is daunting (para.
10),but he is confident the task is doable by the end of
February. True enough, assuming the political will is
there. We have been impressed so far by Lajcak's grasp of
the issues and his diplomatic skills. His efforts so far
deserves our support, both in achieving the political
compromise and in implementing the referendum itself.


10. (U) Full text of Ambassador Lajcak's key principles
follows.

Begin text:

KEY PRINCIPLES OF A DEMOCRATIC REFERENDUM PROCESS IN THE
REPUBLIC OF MONTENEGRO

Below are some fundamental issues/principles of a
democratic referendum process, which we suggest to be
considered prior to the announcement of a referendum.

LEGISLATIVE FRAMEWORK

The legislation applicable to conducting the referendum on
the state status should be improved in line with OSCE/ODIHR
and Council of Europe recommendations to ensure that the
legislative framework is comprehensive, detailed
unambiguous. The current Law on Referendum should be
either amended or, alternatively, a special law on
referendum on the state status could be adopted.

Provisions promoting a level playing field in referendum
campaign should be introduced in the relevant legislation.

MAJORITY REQUIREMENTS

Consideration should be given to adoption of some specific
majority that should be required to decide on the state
status.

REFERENDUM QUESTION

The wording of the referendum question should be clear and
precise. Procedure for adoption of a referendum question
should be detailed in the law. Holding of a referendum
with two alternative questions (with positive options only)
could be considered.

REFERENDUM CAMPAIGN

Detailed regulations should be introduced to specify all
aspects of the referendum campaign. In general, the
provisions regulating the conduct of the referendum
campaign should ensure transparency of the process and a
level playing field. The regulatory framework should
provide for both sides (YES and NO) to have equitable
campaign opportunities.

State and political party functions should be separated.
Any form of discrimination or political pressure on public
employees should be clearly prohibited. Police should
ensure absolute neutrality.

ACCESS TO MEDIA

Both sides of the referendum spectrum should have equal
access to campaigning on public radio, television and print
media. Public media should undertake non-partisan voter
information activities and grant free airtime to the YES
and NO campaigns on an equal basis. Coverage of the
referendum in the public media should be politically
balanced and unbiased. The private media organizations
should develop a Code of Conduct on good editorial
practices to be signed and observed on a voluntary basis.
Regulatory and self-regulatory bodies should be empowered
to sufficiently implement the regulatory framework, warn
and adequately act upon breaches of applicable legislation
and standards by the media during the referendum campaign.
Paid political advertising in the media should be clearly
marked.

FINANCING OF THE REFERENDUM CAMPAIGN

Provisions contained in the Law on Financing Political
Parties regarding campaign expenditure limits and reporting
requirements should be reviewed to assess their application
to referendum campaigns. The manner of scrutinising
campaign accounts should be set out in the legislation
regulating the referendum, with a view to guaranteeing full
transparency.
Imposing limits of individual donations for referendum
campaigns should be considered. Political parties, which
will choose not to participate in the referendum, should
not receive public funds for the referendum campaign.

ADMINISTRATION OF THE REFERENDUM

Plurality of political interests should be guaranteed in
the membership of the referendum administration bodies at
all levels (republic, municipal and polling boards). No
political party should be in a position to dominate the
administration of the referendum.

The legislation should ensure that all eligible citizens
are granted the opportunity to vote, including hospitalised
persons and voters serving the military on the territory of
the Republic.

The referendum results should be published promptly after
the holding of the referendum. Consideration should be
given to measures, which would enhance the transparency of
the tabulation (and recounting) of the results.

OBSERVATION OF THE REFERENDUM PROCESS

The authorities calling for a referendum should invite, in
a timely manner, the relevant international election
observer organizations, including OSCE/ODIHR, the Council
of Europe and the European Parliament. In addition,
domestic monitoring organizations should be accredited to
observe the entire referendum process.

End text.
POLT