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. BELGRADE 00000962 002.2 OF 002 POLT