C O N F I D E N T I A L LJUBLJANA 000565

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/29/2016
TAGS: PGOV PREL UNMIK SI YI EU
SUBJECT: SLOVENIA COMMITTED TO NEGOTIATED SETTLEMENT ON
KOSOVO BUT NOT OPTIMISTIC

REF: STATE 059894

Classified By: COM Thomas B. Robertson for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (C) SUMMARY: The Government of Slovenia (GOS) supports the
goals of a negotiated settlement, though it is somewhat
pessimistic that current negotiations between Serbia and
Kosovo will achieve a final solution by the end of 2006. The
GOS also has concerns about a possible destabilizing effect
on Serbia, should a decision be made to move forward on
independence for Kosovo. Above all, Slovenia believes it is
imperative to help Serbia and Kosovo "become European." END
SUMMARY.


2. (C) Pol/Econ Chief and Econoff delivered reftel points on
August 24 to Davorin Senicar and Jozef Kecek, both newly
assigned to the Division for South-Eastern Europe at the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Both Senicar and Kecek have
recently returned from postings in Belgrade. Senicar thanked
us for our points, noting that Slovenia agreed with and
supported the U.S. position. He said the GOS is aware of its
role in the region and it is doing its part in meetings at
all levels with Serbs and Kosovars alike. The GOS supports
the efforts of U.N. Special Envoy Ahtisaari, but Senicar
emphasized that the situation is so complicated that he is
afraid that there will be stalemate. Serbia does not want to
hear about independence for Kosovo, there is no agreement,
and the two sides merely talk at each other without any real
dialogue. Senicar ended by saying that the GOS is sympathetic
to Serbia but is not optimistic about the process and is
concerned about increasing radicalism in Serbia.


4. (SBU) Slovenia is participating in the drafting of a
non-paper to be presented at the Visegrad Group meeting in
Vienna, September 14th, which will focus on Serbia and
Kosovo. Serbian Prime Minister Kostunica has been invited to
attend and share the Serbian perspective.


5. (C) The Slovenians will encourage a draft that recognizes
Serbian participation as critical to a successful outcome for
the negotiated settlement. It believes that Serbian concerns
should be listened to more carefully by the international
community, and that Serbia must help find proposals and
outcomes that are more agreeable to Kosovo and come closer to
the desired ends - independence. The means to those ends,
according to Senicar is to to assist Serbia and Kosovo to
"become European" and to integrate them into the European
community.
ROBERTSON