AMBASSADOR NULAND'S MEETING WITH SERBIAN

C O N F I D E N T I A L USNATO 000602 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR EUR, EUR/RPM, EUR/SCE, PM, IO, SR E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/12/2016 TAGS: NATO PREL SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR NULAND'S MEETING WITH SERBIAN AMBASSADOR MILINKOVIC REF: STATE 146343 ¶1. (U) Summary: On October 18, Ambassador Nuland hosted Serbian Ambassador to the EU Branko Milinkovic to discuss Serbian Partnership for Peace (PfP) aspirations and Serbia's compliance with the International Criminal Court for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY). Ambassador Nuland expressed dismay with the lack of progress regarding ICTY and that this inaction was detrimental to Serbia's participation in PfP. End Summary. ¶2. (U) Ambassador Nuland opened the meeting by expressing Washington's concern over Serbia's inaction with regard to compliance with ICTY. She told Ambassador Milinkovic that the U.S. is looking for Serbia to take the necessary steps toward fulfilling its action plan. Ambassador Milinkovic asked if the door was closed to PfP and Ambassador Nuland responded that the door is still open for Serbia, but the Serbs need to first get something done to demonstrate ICTY compliance to the international community. Ambassador Nuland provided Milinkovic with a copy of previously delivered talking points, (RefTel),and outlined the kind of steps that the U.S. Government has suggested to Belgrade to assist in their efforts to fulfill their action plan. ¶3. (U) In response to an inquiry regarding PfP progress for Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro, Ambassador Nuland responded that while the U.S. supports further Euro-Atlantic integration for the entire region, each country must be assessed on its individual merits. NULAND