KOSOVO: CCK SAYS RETURNS CONTINGENT ON

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BELGRADE 000962

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O.12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM SR MW YI
SUBJECT: KOSOVO: CCK SAYS RETURNS CONTINGENT ON
SECURITY

REF: PRISTINA 504

BELGRADE 00000962 001.2 OF 002


1.(U) SUMMARY: The recently signed Returns
Protocol is a positive step but will be ?just
another piece of paper? if Kosovo Albanians
cannot ensure the safety of Serbs who return to
Kosovo, according to CCK deputy and Protocol
negotiator Milorad Todorovic. END SUMMARY.

2.(U) In a June 14 meeting with RefCoord and
Poloff, deputy head of the GOS? Coordination
Center for Kosovo and Metohija (CCK) Milorad
Todorovic said the June 6 signing of the Returns
Protocol is the result of GOS, PISG and UNMIK
cooperation, which may give optimism to some in
the Kosovo Serb community. However, the signing
must be followed by action from the Albanian side
to ensure the security of Serbs who choose to
return to Kosovo.


3. (SBU) Todorovic said UNMIK was part of the
process because of its role in UNSC 1244. The
final part of the Protocol allows for the process
to be amended by "all parties at anytime".
Todorovic said this would be precipitated if and
when UNMIK left the scene.


4. (SBU) The GOS insisted that the Protocol allow
for returnees to choose where they return because
of security, Todorovic said. The returning
community wants to know "where am I going and
will I be safe," he said, and the situation has
changed in the last six years -- returning only
to place of origin is not safe, Todorovic
insisted, and cited an example of 40,000 Serbs
returning to Pristina.


5. (SBU) Todorovic addressed the funding of
returns and said the GOS is prepared to fund
returns to places other than the place of origin.
He said houses are already being constructed in
Gracanica, funded by municipalities in Serbia.
(Note: Dardan Gashi, Todorovic?s counterpart on
the Albanian side recently told RefCoord that
Albanians will have the task of returning around
40,000 Albanian IDPs. Todorovic noted that the
UNHCR official number of all IDPs in Kosovo is
around 19,300. Gashi might be including potential
Albanian IDPs from Mitrovica. End note.)


6. (SBU) When asked about the long-term prospects
for returns if Kosovo becomes independent,
Todorovic bristled, saying he would be among the
first Serbs to leave an independent Kosovo. The
gains of this Protocol and other agreements would
be entirely cancelled as Serbs ?will not trust
such a state enough to live in it.?


7. (SBU) Todorovic joined some of his GOS
colleagues in claiming SRSG Soren Jessen-
Petersen?s departure as a good thing, saying he
had ?expected more? from a person with Jessen-
Petersen?s expertise, particularly in pushing the
Albanians harder. Todorovic said Jessen-Petersen
surprised him by taking credit for formulation of
disputed Article 2 when Kai Eide was the one who
thought of it.


8. (U) As for the publicly-raised ?Fund for
Kosovo? for emergency cases, Todorovic said he
knew the campaign had originally netted 11
million dinars. He said the General Secretariat
is responsible for disbursement and did not have
more information.


9. (SBU) Comment: Todorovic is the most direct
of our CCK interlocutors and offers the current
Serbian assessment of the Protocol ?- it is a
useful step but will not survive an independent
Kosovo. Displaced Serbs are not packing their
bags to return to Kosovo because of the Protocol,
and its relevance will be determined by Kosovo's
final status, in his opinion. Nevertheless, this
is an encouraging step ? it is an important
example of GOS-PISG cooperation and should be
recognized and encouraged by the USG and the
international community.

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POLT