RELATIONS BETWEEN DECANI MONASTERY AND LOCAL

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PRISTINA 000448

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

DEPT FOR DRL, INL, EUR/SCE
NSC FOR BRAUN
USUN FOR DREW SCHUFLETOWSKI

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL KCRM PGOV PINR KDEM UNMIK YI
SUBJECT: RELATIONS BETWEEN DECANI MONASTERY AND LOCAL
COMMUNITY HAVE IMPROVED

REF: PRISTINA 352

PRISTINA 00000448 001.2 OF 002


SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED, PROTECT ACCORDINGLY


1. (SBU) SUMMARY. In the month since SRSG Jessen-Petersen
extended the controversial protection zone around Decani
Monastery, relations between the Monastery and the local
Kosovo Albanian community have improved. KFOR has removed
the fixed checkpoint outside the monastery and replaced it
with mobile patrols. Additionally, local Kosovo Albanian
schoolchildren visited the monastery. Tensions have declined
appreciably already. END SUMMARY.

KFOR REMOVES FIXED CHECKPOINT
--------------


2. (SBU) Soon after SRSG Jessen-Petersen signed an executive
order on May 26 to extend the 800 hectare Special Zoning Area
(SZA) around Decani Monastery, KFOR removed its fixed
checkpoint outside the monastery (Reftel). Father Sava
Janjic told PolFSN on May 18 the checkpoint removal was a
joint initiative by Bishop Teodosije Sibalic of Lipljan,
Father Sava Janjic and Italian KFOR, as part of the
monastery's ongoing effort to improve relations with the
local Kosovo Albanian community. Kosovo Serb leader Randjel
Nojkic told Ambassador Frank Wisner, the Secretary's special
representative for the Kosovo final status talks, on May 22
that Father Sava told him the monastery could not rely on
Belgrade to negotiate improved security, and therefore they
decided to work directly with the local community while the
international community was still in Kosovo.


3. (SBU) Local Kosovo Albanians have long complained that
the heavily fortified checkpoint inhibited freedom of
movement in the area. When it was in place, armed KFOR
soldiers would stop all vehicles for security checks that
could last 20 minutes or more before letting them pass by the
monastery. The road is the only way for residents of the
town of Decan to reach the mountains beyond the monastery, a
popular destination for local outdoor recreation. (NOTE.
Like the former Mitrovica bridge checkpoint, the cement
barricades remain in place, and can be re-manned at short
notice. END NOTE.)


3. (SBU) Local Kosovo Albanians applauded the removal of the
checkpoint, which has been replaced with roving patrols that
monitor movement on the road passing the monastery. Father
Sava said in the days following the removal of the
checkpoint, a number of locals stopped to peer into the
monastery gates, but the curiosity has since died down.
(COMMENT. Removal of the checkpoint, long an irritant for
Kosovo Albanians, has gone a long way towards defusing
resentment over renewal of the SZA. END COMMENT.)

KOSOVO ALBANIAN SCHOOL CHILDREN VISIT MONASTERY
-------------- --


4. (SBU) Father Sava said the monastery has started
receiving requests from local Kosovo Albanian schools to
bring students to visit the monastery. There have been so
many requests that the monastery has established visiting
hours for schoolchildren and other interested locals: on
Tuesdays from 11:00 - 13:00 and 16:00-18:00. He said that
this was necessary in order to ensure that monks would be
available to give tours and provide refreshments. He said
the monastery remains open to visits from international
diplomats and military forces at other times.


5. (SBU) The first visit of local Albanian schoolchildren
took place on May 16, when approximately 30 students aged
13-17 from Isniq village secondary school toured the
monastery facilities. The visit was organized by Zeboniso
Karajevo of the Decan OSCE office, in coordination with the
local NGO "Independent Intellectuals Organization," headed by
Adem Lusha. Father Sava welcomed the visit, although he

PRISTINA 00000448 002.2 OF 002


claimed Lusha is a local Kosovo Albanian hard-liner and
mentioned the NGO is located in the same building as the
Dukagjini region Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) veterans
association that has long criticized the monastery. While
doubting Lusha's motives, Father Sava said the most important
thing was that the children came and had a positive
experience learning about the monastery and the monks who
live there. Nojkic said Sava told him the children were very
well behaved during the visit.

MONASTERY OPPOSES PROPOSED ROAD TO MONTENEGRO THROUGH DECAN
-------------- --------------


6. (SBU) Father Sava told PolFSN the monastery continues to
oppose a long-standing proposal recently endorsed by Prime
Minister Ceku, to build a 30 kilometer road to connect
Decan/Decani municipality with Montenegro. Father Sava said
the proposal violates the main principles of the SZA and
would destroy the ecological balance of the area surrounding
the monastery. He supports an alternative routing that would
put the road much farther from the monastery.


7. (SBU) COMMENT. The removal of the checkpoint and the
school visit to Decani monastery have already produced
benefits -- local Kosovo Albanian residents are able to
travel the road past the monastery more freely, the monks are
coming into more routine contact with area Albanians, and
tensions have been greatly reduced. There is a direct and
tangible connection between reduced threat levels to the
monastery and increased freedom of movement in the area, and
all sides are benefiting. The fragile detente needs to be
preserved and deepened by realistic agreements during status
negotiations in Vienna to protect cultural heritage. END
COMMENT.


8. (U) Post clears this message in its entirety for release
to Special Envoy Ahtisaari.
GURIAN