Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06PRISTINA491
2006-06-08 16:59:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Pristina
Cable title:
KOSOVO: PM CEKU ALREADY AT WORK ON CONTACT GROUP
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UNCLAS PRISTINA 000491
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR DRL, INL, EUR/SCE, AND EUR/SSA, NSC FOR BRAUN,
USUN FOR DREW SCHUFLETOWSKI, USOSCE FOR STEVE STEGER
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM PREF UNMIK YI
SUBJECT: KOSOVO: PM CEKU ALREADY AT WORK ON CONTACT GROUP
PRIORITIES FOR STANDARDS IMPLEMENTATION
Sensitive, But Unclassified; Please Protect Accordingly.
UNCLAS PRISTINA 000491
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR DRL, INL, EUR/SCE, AND EUR/SSA, NSC FOR BRAUN,
USUN FOR DREW SCHUFLETOWSKI, USOSCE FOR STEVE STEGER
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM PREF UNMIK YI
SUBJECT: KOSOVO: PM CEKU ALREADY AT WORK ON CONTACT GROUP
PRIORITIES FOR STANDARDS IMPLEMENTATION
Sensitive, But Unclassified; Please Protect Accordingly.
1. (SBU) SUMMARY: During a June 8 meeting with Contact Group
(CG) heads of mission in Pristina, Kosovo Prime Minister Agim
Ceku received the 13 points of priorities for standards
implementation as something that will help the Kosovo
government focus its current efforts, not as criticism of its
effort to date. Ceku is clearly ahead of the curve, and has
already begun work on most of the points. He told CG
representatives he wants to work with them on completing the
action items according to the timeline provided and will keep
them updated on progress over the next several months. END
SUMMARY.
2. (SBU) Heads of Missions from CG countries met with Kosovo
Prime Minister Agim Ceku June 8 to discuss the CG's 13-point
list of priorities for standards implementation. (NOTE: One
version of the list, which contains ten points with a
minority focus and three concerning good governance/rule of
law, had already appeared in the local press prior to the
meeting. END NOTE). Ceku thanked CG representatives for the
list and told them he sees it not as criticism of his
government's efforts, but rather as something to help focus
the government on standards implementation.
3. (SBU) Ceku updated the CG representatives on efforts his
government has already taken on the 13 points. He said that
the Kosovo Assembly will pass new laws on languages, cultural
heritage and religious freedom within the schedule suggested
by the CG. He warned that Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan is
coming in the near future to ask that Turkish be designated
the fourth official language of Kosovo (in addition to
Albanian, Serbian and English in the existing draft law). He
said that the Kosovo government is revising the draft law on
religious freedom in consultation with the Austrian
government. Ceku added that the government will move forward
the draft law on cultural heritage finalized at meetings with
Council of Europe experts in Pristina and Strasbourg.
4. (SBU) Ceku assured CG representatives that the Kosovo
government was ready to make the financial commitments
necessary to complete several of the points. According to
Ceku, the government has already identified 100,000 euros to
implement a public transportation strategy for minorities and
approved 550,000 euros to finish repairs to homes and
out-buildings in Svinjare damaged during the March 2004
violence. Ceku said he as asked SRSG Soren Jessen-Petersen
to assign the Kosovo Protection Corps the rebuilding task.
He added that the government will allocate 1.5 million euros
of its 2006 budget for returns to the UNDP and an additional
500,000 euros to complete necessary infrastructure work for a
returns project financed by the city of Moscow in Istok
municipality.
5. (SBU) Ceku noted recent progress in setting up the Kosovo
Property Agency (KPA),Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) and
Independent Media Commission (IMC). Last month he nominated
Minister for Environmental and Spatial Planning Ardian Gjini
and Serbia List for Kosovo and Metohija leader Randjel Nojkic
to serve on the board of the KPA. Three other members must
come from UNMIK or the international donor community. Ceku
said the government forwarded the names of two candidates for
the ACA to the Kosovo Assembly on June 7 and the IMC board is
also currently being formed.
6. (SBU) COMMENT: Projects like the 13-point plan are exactly
the kind Ceku likes because it enables him to use his
military experience to run through a list and get the job
done. We, and our CG colleagues, will take him up on his
offer of constant updates on progress on fulfillment of the
CG priorities. END COMMENT.
7. (U) U.S. Office Pristina clears this cable for release in
its entirety to U.N. Special Envoy for Kosovo Martti
Ahtisaari.
GOLDBERG
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR DRL, INL, EUR/SCE, AND EUR/SSA, NSC FOR BRAUN,
USUN FOR DREW SCHUFLETOWSKI, USOSCE FOR STEVE STEGER
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM PREF UNMIK YI
SUBJECT: KOSOVO: PM CEKU ALREADY AT WORK ON CONTACT GROUP
PRIORITIES FOR STANDARDS IMPLEMENTATION
Sensitive, But Unclassified; Please Protect Accordingly.
1. (SBU) SUMMARY: During a June 8 meeting with Contact Group
(CG) heads of mission in Pristina, Kosovo Prime Minister Agim
Ceku received the 13 points of priorities for standards
implementation as something that will help the Kosovo
government focus its current efforts, not as criticism of its
effort to date. Ceku is clearly ahead of the curve, and has
already begun work on most of the points. He told CG
representatives he wants to work with them on completing the
action items according to the timeline provided and will keep
them updated on progress over the next several months. END
SUMMARY.
2. (SBU) Heads of Missions from CG countries met with Kosovo
Prime Minister Agim Ceku June 8 to discuss the CG's 13-point
list of priorities for standards implementation. (NOTE: One
version of the list, which contains ten points with a
minority focus and three concerning good governance/rule of
law, had already appeared in the local press prior to the
meeting. END NOTE). Ceku thanked CG representatives for the
list and told them he sees it not as criticism of his
government's efforts, but rather as something to help focus
the government on standards implementation.
3. (SBU) Ceku updated the CG representatives on efforts his
government has already taken on the 13 points. He said that
the Kosovo Assembly will pass new laws on languages, cultural
heritage and religious freedom within the schedule suggested
by the CG. He warned that Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan is
coming in the near future to ask that Turkish be designated
the fourth official language of Kosovo (in addition to
Albanian, Serbian and English in the existing draft law). He
said that the Kosovo government is revising the draft law on
religious freedom in consultation with the Austrian
government. Ceku added that the government will move forward
the draft law on cultural heritage finalized at meetings with
Council of Europe experts in Pristina and Strasbourg.
4. (SBU) Ceku assured CG representatives that the Kosovo
government was ready to make the financial commitments
necessary to complete several of the points. According to
Ceku, the government has already identified 100,000 euros to
implement a public transportation strategy for minorities and
approved 550,000 euros to finish repairs to homes and
out-buildings in Svinjare damaged during the March 2004
violence. Ceku said he as asked SRSG Soren Jessen-Petersen
to assign the Kosovo Protection Corps the rebuilding task.
He added that the government will allocate 1.5 million euros
of its 2006 budget for returns to the UNDP and an additional
500,000 euros to complete necessary infrastructure work for a
returns project financed by the city of Moscow in Istok
municipality.
5. (SBU) Ceku noted recent progress in setting up the Kosovo
Property Agency (KPA),Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) and
Independent Media Commission (IMC). Last month he nominated
Minister for Environmental and Spatial Planning Ardian Gjini
and Serbia List for Kosovo and Metohija leader Randjel Nojkic
to serve on the board of the KPA. Three other members must
come from UNMIK or the international donor community. Ceku
said the government forwarded the names of two candidates for
the ACA to the Kosovo Assembly on June 7 and the IMC board is
also currently being formed.
6. (SBU) COMMENT: Projects like the 13-point plan are exactly
the kind Ceku likes because it enables him to use his
military experience to run through a list and get the job
done. We, and our CG colleagues, will take him up on his
offer of constant updates on progress on fulfillment of the
CG priorities. END COMMENT.
7. (U) U.S. Office Pristina clears this cable for release in
its entirety to U.N. Special Envoy for Kosovo Martti
Ahtisaari.
GOLDBERG