ACCESSION OF BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA, MONTENEGRO,

C O N F I D E N T I A L USNATO 000716 SIPDIS NOFORN SIPDIS STATE FOR EUR, EUR/RPM, EUR/SCE, PM, IO, E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/03/2016 TAGS: NATO PREL MARR XB SUBJECT: ACCESSION OF BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA, MONTENEGRO, SERBIA TO NATO,S PARTNERSHIP FOR PEACE, DECEMBER 14, 2006 REF: SECSTATE 198801 Classified By: Ambassador Victoria Nuland for reasons 1.4 (b/d) SUMMARY: -------------- ¶1. (C) In a historic and emotional morning at NATO HQ on December 14, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, and Serbia joined the Partnership for Peace by signing the PfP Framework Document in back-to-back meetings with the North Atlantic Council (NAC). BiH trilateral Presidency Chairman Nebosjsha Radmanovic, Montenegrin President Filip Vujanovic, and Serbian President Boris Tadic headed the three delegations to NATO. Ambassador Nuland met separately with Tadic to stress the importance the U.S. places on Serbia,s commitment to ICTY cooperation, regional stability, and continuing domestic reforms. Tadic forcefully acknowledged his support for those goals, both to the Ambassador and to the NAC, but showed clear ambivalence about how Kosovo,s final status would play out. UK, Norwegian, and other delegations made strong interventions emphasizing the importance of ICTY compliance, and the UK called for a cooperative approach to Kosovo final status. Radmanovic and Vujanovic stressed the positive role that accession to Partnership would play in their own nations, reforms and future domestic development. See text of Tadic address in para 12. End Summary. A PULL-ASIDE WITH TADIC -------------- ¶2. (C) Ambassador Nuland met privately with Serbian President Tadic before his session with the NAC. Drawing on reftel, she made clear that President Bush,s decision to support PfP for Serbia at Riga was intended to boost democratic elements in the nation, responding to Tadic's personal appeal. In betting on a positive democratic future for Serbia, the President expected President Tadic to live up to his public and private assurances regarding ICTY compliance and a constructive approach to Kosovo status. Tadic responded that he understood the President's intent and his expectations in supporting PfP, particularly regarding ICTY compliance. He assured Ambassador Nuland that he shared U.S. goals and would work to achieve them in Serbia,s own interests. He also highlighted the benefits that Serbia had obtained from bilateral defense ties, noting specifically military-to-military cooperation with the Ohio National Guard, and introduced his new CHOD as a "new broom." ¶3. (C) In separate meetings with the NAC, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH),Montenegro, and Serbia acceded to NATO,s Partnership for Peace (PfP) on December 14. BiH Chairman of the Trilateral Presidency Radmanovic, Montenegrin President Vujanovic, and Serbian President Tadic signed the Partnership Framework Document at one-hour intervals in the presence of NATO PermReps and the press, with each signing followed by individual "26 1" meetings with Allies. BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA: PARTNERSHIP OF ENTITIES -------------- --- ¶4. (C) President Radmanovic, accompanied by DefMin Nikola Radovanovic and CHOD LtGen Sifet Podzic, acknowledged Bosnia,s debt to the Alliance for providing a "security umbrella" at its founding. Coming from the Republika Srpska member of the Presidency, his promises of full compliance with ICTY the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) had added significance. Radmanovic said this "great day for the citizens of Bosnia-Herzegovina" would further stimulate economic and defense reforms, and represented "the first step on a long path toward full membership in the Alliance and the EU." ¶5. (C) Greece (NATO,s Contact Point Embassy in Sarajevo) voiced confidence that Bosnia,s Partnership would further strengthen its domestic reform efforts ) citing police reform and political dialogue on the constitution as well as ICTY compliance. Netherlands (lead nation for the NATO/PfP Trust Fund to resettle redundant military personnel in Bosnia) pointed to the Partnership tools that could help the reform process through development of an Individual Partnership Program (IPP) and eventually a much more ambitious Individual Partnership Action Plan (IPAP). Canada called on BiH to serve as a model for building a multi-ethnic society, to respect its commitments to the ICTY, and to contribute to stability in the Balkans as Kosovo attained its final status early the next year. Radmanovic responded that none of Bosnia,s entities had any doubt about the need for ICTY compliance. MONTENEGRO: A FAST TRACK FROM INDEPENDENCE -------------- ¶6. (C) NATO Secretary General de Hoop Scheffer lauded Montenegro,s quick progress since independence in June 2006 to membership in PfP. President Vujanovic described Montenegro,s progress in more detail, focusing on building defense institutions under democratic civilian control and achieving interoperability with NATO to allow participation in NATO-led peacekeeping operations. He also alluded to the need for economic development, hoped that joining PfP would encourage international investors, and that EU and NATO membership would follow. ¶7. (C) Allies Bulgaria, Slovenia, and Belgium responded, pointing to the need for further work on strengthening the rule of law, building an efficient government administration, fighting corruption, instituting economic reform, and bolstering regional cooperation in the critical period following the determination of Kosovo,s final status. Slovenia stressed that the values and principles enshrined in the PfP Framework Document were strongly shared by all Allies and that PfP tools would help Montenegro to achieve its reform and interoperability goals. Belgium applauded Montenegro,s speedy accession to the UN and OSCE, as well as PfP, and endorsed its aspirations to join NATO and the EU. SERBIA: COMMITMENT TO ICTY... -------------- ¶8. (C) President Tadic was accompanied by MGen Ponos, Presidential Counselors Jerenic, Ratkovic, and Krspic, and Special Envoy to NATO Milinkovic. His meeting with PermReps was the most anticipated and dramatic of the three. (The SYG,s Private Office sought in advance to limit the number of Allied interventions, and settled on Serbia,s alphabetical third-place appearance to allow more time for the session if needed.) At the launch of the meeting, in front of the press, the SYG drew on Riga Summit language to emphasize NATO's expectation that Serbia would cooperate fully with ICTY, and that the Alliance would closely monitor its actions. Still before the cameras, Tadic promised that "Serbia is going to cooperate with the ICTY fully, arrest all indictees, and finalize this process." He described Serbia's Partnership as "the end of isolation." ¶9. (C) Tadic,s presentation in closed session was even more emphatic. He insisted that arresting war criminals was a "moral imperative" and reflected Serbia's own values. It would show not "weakness or cowardice, but facing up to the dark days of the 1990s when crimes were committed in the name of our nation." He said Serbia had to take this values-based stand "for the sake of our children." On Kosovo, he was more nuanced. He first called for a compromise solution that accommodated "Serbia,s legitimate demands." But he went on to promise that "whatever the outcome, Serbia is committed to help keep the peace in this region." He termed Serbia,s Partnership as the culmination of his personal efforts since serving as Defense Minister in 2003. ... BUT AMBIVALENCE ON KOSOVO -------------- ¶10. (C) Norway, Italy, the UK, Germany, Hungary, Romania, and Spain responded to Tadic,s inspiring presentation. Each of them saluted his commitment to bring war criminals to account, and reiterated that this was essential for Serbia to join what Spain called the Euro-Atlantic family. Norway celebrated the "landmark day" for both the Balkans and for the Alliance, stating that with ICTY compliance, "there is no limit how far NATO-Serbian relations can go." The UK took the most uncompromising stand, addressing Serbia,s responsibility to contribute to regional stability (e.g. Kosovo settlement) and to ICTY obligations (calling for this to be acknowledged in Serbia,s PfP Presentation Document). Hungary stressed that Partnership "is not a reward, but a tool" for domestic reform. ¶11. (C) An emotional Tadic responded by pointing to the "unbelievable changes" in Serbian attitudes toward NATO since the low point of NATO's 1999 Operation Allied Force bombing campaign to today, when 60% of Serbians support PfP and 40% support NATO membership. He reiterated that he would do "all in my power to implement" further reform and the apprehension of fugitives. Regarding Kosovo, he insisted that Serbia would "defend our interests" while at the same time thinking about regional stability. He said that a "compromise settlement" was the best hope for regional stability, and opposed "new fragmentation of borders in the Balkans" which could become a broader regional problem. TEXT OF TADIC ADDRESS TO THE NAC -------------- ¶12. (C) Begin text of Tadic address: Your Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, Dear Friends, It is my honor to address the North Atlantic Council on the day the Republic of Serbia formally enters NATO's Partnership for Peace program. The decision to invite us to join is of great historical importance not only for my country and our region, but -- I believe -- for all the countries represented in this room. For me, this date will mark the day the Euro-Atlantic community of nations actualized Sir Winston Churchill's call at Fulton for "a new unity in Europe from which no nation should be pennanently outcast." Today, the soul of Europe has grown stronger: the values we share with passion and conviction have triumphed anew. Today, a fresh chapter in the history of democratic freedom in South East Europe begins. Of course, today marks just a beginning, not an end. Our joining the PfP family is only the first step in the process that will culinate in the region's full integration into te Alliance. Ladies and Gentlemen, Serbian Armed Forces have come far since the day when, as my country's Minister of Defense, I addressed this same chamber. On that day in 2003, I spoke of my intention to begin the process of defense reform. On this day, I speak to you with a happy sincerity that comes from knowing that the recognition of our achievements has arrived at last. On behalf of the democratic forces of Serbia, I want to express my gratitude for the support you have extended to my country. You have emboldened those who believe that together more can be attained than separately. You have encouraged those who insist that traumas of the past cannot stand in the way of the promise of a better tomorrow. And you have strengthened our resolve to fight at home with renewed vigor against the notion that our desire to integrate into the Euro-Atlantic family of nations is a sign of weakness and cowardice. I firmly believe that to be courageous in the Western Balkans means to face up to the awful deeds committed during the dark decade of the 1990s. It takes the courage that comes with responsible leadership to say that crimes were committed in the name of one's nation. Failure to do so dishonors us in the eyes of our children. I therefore consider it a moral imperative that all fugitives from justice, Ratko Miadic in particular, be located, arrested, and extradited to the Hague. Serbia goes to the polls on January 21St. I am greatly optimistic that the new democratic government will be fully committed to extraditing all the indicted war criminals. I have pledged to commit all relevant resources to that end, and I intend to keep my promise. Membership in the community of values that is the Partnership for Peace only increases my determination to see them brought I before the Tribunal. Ladies and Gentlemen, It is likely that very soon a proposal on the future status of the province of Kosovo and Metohija will be recommended by President Ahtisaari to the Contact Group and the Security Council of the United Nations. The Republic of Serbia has consistently argued for a compromise solution that seeks to reconcile Belgrade,s legitimate demands with those of the Kosovo Albanians. We continue to believe that a negotiated, mutually-acceptable solution is the best way forward and presents the best hope for regional stability. Others champion a more one-sided solution. But whatever the outcome, the Republic of Serbia remains fully committed to help keeping the peace in our region. Our membership in Partnership for Peace only enhances this commitment, for it provides us with mechanisms to respond to security challenges in a constructive way, jointly with our allies. Ladies and Gentlemen, I will end with a few old words that are in my opinion very pertinent to the meaning of the new unity of Europe. The preamble to the 1949 North Atlantic Treaty reads, in part, that the parties to the treaty "are determined to safeguard the freedom, common heritage and civilization of their peoples, founded on the principles of democracy, individual liberty and the rule of law." For me today, those words are as powerful as on the day they were written. I believe that never before in the history of South East Europe has such a concrete opportunity to overcome regional strife and conflict, as the one before us now, presented itself to those willing to grasp its promise of prosperity. Thank you very much for extending the Partnership for Peace to the Republic of Serbia. NULAND