Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06BRUSSELS1653
2006-05-17 16:19:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Brussels
Cable title:  

DEMARCHE FOLLOWUP: BRIEFING CAPITALS ON U.S.

Tags:  PGOV PREL YI EU BE 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXYZ0010
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHBS #1653 1371619
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 171619Z MAY 06
FM AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1915
C O N F I D E N T I A L BRUSSELS 001653 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/17/2016
TAGS: PGOV PREL YI EU BE
SUBJECT: DEMARCHE FOLLOWUP: BRIEFING CAPITALS ON U.S.
KOSOVO POLICY

REF: A. STATE 59894

B. BRUSSELS 1374

Classified By: POLCOUNS TED ANDREWS. REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D).

C O N F I D E N T I A L BRUSSELS 001653

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/17/2016
TAGS: PGOV PREL YI EU BE
SUBJECT: DEMARCHE FOLLOWUP: BRIEFING CAPITALS ON U.S.
KOSOVO POLICY

REF: A. STATE 59894

B. BRUSSELS 1374

Classified By: POLCOUNS TED ANDREWS. REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D).


1. (C) Poloff met with Charles Delogne, MFA Adviser on the
Balkans, to get additional information on Belgian views
regarding U.S. policy on Kosovo status (refs A and B).
Delogne had accompanied Belgian FM De Gucht to the Balkans in
April as part of De Gucht's role as 2006 OSCE
Chairman-in-Office.


2. (C) Delogne said Belgium concurs with U.S. thinking on
Kosovo. He said Belgium perhaps had "a few nuances in its
position," but overall agreed with U.S. points (ref A). The
United States and Europe needed to stay in "a strong
partnership" in the Balkans, which provided a good
opportunity for transatlantic cooperation. According to
Delogne, the key was to stress to the parties involved that
the U.S. and Europe shared the same approach and "cannot be
divided."


3. (C) Delogne had recently attended a Steering Group
meeting on Kosovo. He said the Serbs were "less cooperative"
than the Albanians, and thought the U.S./EU needed to use a
"sticks and carrots" approach with the Serbs. He emphasized,
however, that Belgium was strongly against marginalizing the
Serbs and nothing must be imposed against the will of the
Serbs. Delogne thought regional cooperation was the key to
stability, with the Stability Pact a key tool for fostering
regional cooperation.


4. (C) Delogne thought it was essential that final status
talks not be postponed ("this may be part of the Serb
strategy"). He thought a "realistic calendar" was needed for
concluding talks so as to not play into possible Serb desire
to postpone the final outcome. Delogne said while he was not
aware of any public comments or advocacy on Kosovo's final
status, he was privy to private conversations that saw
independence as probably the most realistic solution.


5. (C) Delogne stressed the need for quick implementation of
standards, particularly on minority rights. He said Belgian
FM De Gucht felt strongly that final status could not be
effectively implemented without tangible progress on
implementing standards. He thought Serb cooperation would
come easier then. Delogne said "unfortunately, it is not a
priority of the Albanians, which is bad because they lose
credibility with the Serbs."

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