KOSOVO: UNITY TEAM BRIEFS KOSOVO ASSEMBLY ON

UNCLAS PRISTINA 000725

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR DRL, INL, AND EUR/SCE, NSC FOR BRAUN, USUN FOR
DREW SCHUFLETOWSKI, USOSCE FOR STEVE STEGER

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM UNMIK YI
SUBJECT: KOSOVO: UNITY TEAM BRIEFS KOSOVO ASSEMBLY ON
STATUS NEGOTIATIONS



1. (U) SUMMARY: Unity Team (UT) members briefed the Kosovo
Assembly in an open, televised session on the ongoing final
status negotiations. The presentation was generally well
received by MPs, although some expressed opposition to
negotiated independence. Late distribution of the UT's
materials also caused complaints; as a result, discussion
will continue on September 5. The session was a positive
step in keeping the Kosovar public informed on key issues
involving final status. END SUMMARY.


2. (U) In an open, televised session on September 1, UT
members briefed the Kosovo Assembly on the ongoing final
status negotiations. UT members praised the work of UN
Special Envoy Ahtisaari and his team, while also presenting a
positive assessment of their own work. They highlighted the
remaining differences between the UT and UNOSEK (the office
of the UN Special Envoy for Kosovo),including the proposal
to attach the Serb municipality of Zvecan to north Mitrovica;
minority representation in the Assembly; and vertical links
between Serb-majority municipalities and Belgrade.


3. (U) Opposition Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) leader
and UT member Hashim Thaci, while noting the UT's
accomplishments, could not resist the opportunity to accuse
the Kosovo government of corruption and incompetence. He
said that PDK's presence on the UT in no way "grants
immunity" to the government's policies that "impoverish"
Kosovars and "enrich" groups heavily involved in organized
crime. The other opposition member of the UT, Veton Surroi,
was more circumspect, sticking mainly to his script on
minority issues (Surroi has taken the lead in the UT's
discussions with UNOSEK on minority rights). Surroi was
definite, however, that the Albanians would stand by their
proposal on Mitrovica, which calls for division of the city
into two municipalities and the creation of a joint
administrative board with limited competencies. He also said
the Team wanted further clarification on the transitional
arrangements for Kosovo post-UNMIK now being contemplated by
the international community.


4. (U) The UT's presentation was generally well received by
MPs, and even those who complained began with praise for the
team's efforts. Several challenged the very notion of
negotiating status at all. They also criticized police
violence against those protesting the negotiations during
Special Envoy Ahtisaari's last visit to Pristina, and the
granting of "excessive" advantages to minorities. A number
of MPs objected to decentralization along ethnic lines.
However, the most common complaint was procedural: MPs were
given over 100 pages of material on the negotiations only
minutes before the session began. As a result, the Assembly
will meet again on September 5 to continue the discussion.


5. (U) Comment: We have encouraged the UT to keep the
public informed about the key issues in the ongoing status
negotiations, or else risk unhelpful speculation in the media
and from extremists. This is a good first step in that
direction. The team performed reasonably well in its first
public presentation, though the predictable fault lines did
emerge when Thaci took the opportunity to jab at his
government teammates. The UT's public appearance is a
definite plus, though it may also make it harder for the Team
to make concessions on issues particularly neuralgic for the
wider Kosovar audience, including Mitrovica. End Comment.


6. (U) U.S. Office Pristina clears this cable for release in
its entirety to U.N. Special Envoy for Kosovo Martti
Ahtisaari.
KAIDANOW