BALKAN PERMREPS MEET AMBASSADOR WISNER TO TALK

C O N F I D E N T I A L USUN NEW YORK 001043 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/23/2011 TAGS: PGOV PREL UNSC UNMIK YI EU SR SUBJECT: BALKAN PERMREPS MEET AMBASSADOR WISNER TO TALK KOSOVO Classified By: Deputy Political Counselor Molly Phee, for Reasons 1.4 (B and D) ¶1. (C) Romanian Ambassador Mihnea Motoc hosted a dinner on May 16 for U.S. Special Representative Frank Wisner to discuss the future status of Kosovo. Other invitees included the permanent representatives from Greece, Slovakia, Albania, Macedonia, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, and Serbia and Montenegro (S-M). Ambassador Wisner laid out the U.S. position in support of concluding status talks and resolving Kosovo's future status by the end of 2006. Ambassador Wisner emphasized the need to promote stability in Southeast Europe and advance the region's integration into Euro-Atlantic institutions. ¶2. (C) S-M Ambassador Nebojsa Kaludjerovic presented a predictable legalistic argument against independence for Kosovo. Kaludjerovic questioned the "basic rules" that governed the international community's approach to the status talks and stressed the need to "respect the UN Charter and resolution 1244." Greek Ambassador Adamandios Vassilakis cautioned against moving too quickly and reminded Ambassador Wisner that we "cannot solve history." Vassilakis advocated for more time and said that Greek Foreign Minister Bakoyannis supports a "phased" decision-making process. ¶3. (C) Ambassador Wisner held strong to the 2006 timetable and warned the Balkans PermReps that "time will breed anger and violence; it is our enemy." Turning to the Greek PermRep, Ambassador Wisner asked rhetorically, "is seven years not enough time?" BOLTON