Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06ROME507
2006-02-20 16:19:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Rome
Cable title:
ITALIAN MFA POLITICAL DIRECTOR VISIT TO BELGRADE
how-toVZCZCXRO2847 PP RUEHFL RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHROV RUEHSR DE RUEHRO #0507 0511619 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 201619Z FEB 06 FM AMEMBASSY ROME TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3707 INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHFL/AMCONSUL FLORENCE PRIORITY 1055 RUEHMIL/AMCONSUL MILAN PRIORITY 6556 RUEHNP/AMCONSUL NAPLES PRIORITY 1113 RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 000507
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR EUR/SCE
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/17/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV SR MW YI IT
SUBJECT: ITALIAN MFA POLITICAL DIRECTOR VISIT TO BELGRADE
Classified By: Classified by David D. Pearce, Political Minister Counse
lor, for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 000507
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR EUR/SCE
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/17/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV SR MW YI IT
SUBJECT: ITALIAN MFA POLITICAL DIRECTOR VISIT TO BELGRADE
Classified By: Classified by David D. Pearce, Political Minister Counse
lor, for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
1. (C) Summary. MFA Political Director Giulio Terzi visited
Belgrade on February 14 to deliver a bilateral message to the
Belgrade leadership that the Contact Group was unified in its
approach to the upcoming Kosovo status talks. Terzi also
told PM Kostunica that both the Belgrade leadership and the
Kosovo Serbs must participate fully in the talks to preserve
their interests. He did not directly raise possible Kosovar
independence. After the visit, MFA Balkan director Raimondo
De Cardona stated that Terzi wanted to avoid putting pressure
on Belgrade and claimed that the recent Serbian Radical Party
outburst calling for a pledge to protect Kosovo through all
available means was a direct result of the public British
message last week. End summary.
2. (C) MFA Balkan Director De Cardona told poloff that Terzi
visited Belgrade to meet with PM Kostunica and members of
Serbian president Tadic's staff. According to De Cardona,
Terzi presented a "more balanced" message than the British by
not raising the issue of Kosovar independence directly. He
told Kostunica, however, that the upcoming Kosovo status
talks will involve substantive issues that require Belgrade's
attention. Terzi also told Kostunica that CG was united in
their approach to the Kosovo issue.
3. (C) De Cardona noted that Terzi did not want to cause
additional political pressure on Belgrade nor did he want
Kostunica to get the impression that the CG had predetermined
the outcome of the status talks. De Cardona said Terzi's
low-profile approach was preferable to inflammatory public
remarks. He linked recent British comments to the Serbian
Radical Party's call for the Serbian Government to prevent
Kosovar independence by any means necessary.
4. (C) Comment. De Cardona insists that the GOI recognized
that Kosovo is headed for independence and that the Italian
MFA will eventually encourage Belgrade to get realistic about
that possibility. For now, however, they believe raising
this issue directly will only encourage the Serbs to dig in
and wait for an imposed solution. End comment.
SPOGLI
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR EUR/SCE
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/17/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV SR MW YI IT
SUBJECT: ITALIAN MFA POLITICAL DIRECTOR VISIT TO BELGRADE
Classified By: Classified by David D. Pearce, Political Minister Counse
lor, for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
1. (C) Summary. MFA Political Director Giulio Terzi visited
Belgrade on February 14 to deliver a bilateral message to the
Belgrade leadership that the Contact Group was unified in its
approach to the upcoming Kosovo status talks. Terzi also
told PM Kostunica that both the Belgrade leadership and the
Kosovo Serbs must participate fully in the talks to preserve
their interests. He did not directly raise possible Kosovar
independence. After the visit, MFA Balkan director Raimondo
De Cardona stated that Terzi wanted to avoid putting pressure
on Belgrade and claimed that the recent Serbian Radical Party
outburst calling for a pledge to protect Kosovo through all
available means was a direct result of the public British
message last week. End summary.
2. (C) MFA Balkan Director De Cardona told poloff that Terzi
visited Belgrade to meet with PM Kostunica and members of
Serbian president Tadic's staff. According to De Cardona,
Terzi presented a "more balanced" message than the British by
not raising the issue of Kosovar independence directly. He
told Kostunica, however, that the upcoming Kosovo status
talks will involve substantive issues that require Belgrade's
attention. Terzi also told Kostunica that CG was united in
their approach to the Kosovo issue.
3. (C) De Cardona noted that Terzi did not want to cause
additional political pressure on Belgrade nor did he want
Kostunica to get the impression that the CG had predetermined
the outcome of the status talks. De Cardona said Terzi's
low-profile approach was preferable to inflammatory public
remarks. He linked recent British comments to the Serbian
Radical Party's call for the Serbian Government to prevent
Kosovar independence by any means necessary.
4. (C) Comment. De Cardona insists that the GOI recognized
that Kosovo is headed for independence and that the Italian
MFA will eventually encourage Belgrade to get realistic about
that possibility. For now, however, they believe raising
this issue directly will only encourage the Serbs to dig in
and wait for an imposed solution. End comment.
SPOGLI