Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06USUNNEWYORK1823
2006-09-16 14:14:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
USUN New York
Cable title:  

FIRST UNSC KOSOVO MEETING FOR JOACHIM RUCKER

Tags:  PGOV PREL UNMIK YI 
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ZNR UUUUU ZZH
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FM USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0216
INFO RUEHZG/NATO EU COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHBW/AMEMBASSY BELGRADE PRIORITY 0112
RUEHPS/USOFFICE PRISTINA PRIORITY 0616
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 USUN NEW YORK 001823 

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SENSITIVE
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E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL UNMIK YI
SUBJECT: FIRST UNSC KOSOVO MEETING FOR JOACHIM RUCKER


UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 USUN NEW YORK 001823

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL UNMIK YI
SUBJECT: FIRST UNSC KOSOVO MEETING FOR JOACHIM RUCKER



1. (SBU) Summary: On September 13, in his first appearance
at a Security Council meeting on the United Nations Interim
Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK),SRSG Joachim Rucker
praised Kosovo's leadership for having "now achieved most of
the priorities on standards implementation." Kosovo Prime
Minister Ceku was present, in his second appearance in the
Security Council, and was seated behind the SRSG as a member
of his entourage but did not speak. Rucker followed his
praise for Kosovo's new leadership with a reminder that there
were still areas where significant work remained. Rucker
furthermore made a strong appeal to Belgrade to allow Serbs
in Kosovo to participate in the institutions and democratic
processes of Kosovo's Provisional Institutions of Self
Government (PISG). Coordination Center for Kosovo and
Metohija (CCK) President Sanda Raskovic-Ivic reiterated many
of the well-known, legalistic arguments she had offered to
the Security Council in June, buttressing them once again
with statistics on alleged incidents of ethnically-motivated
violence against minorities. As the meeting drew to a
close, Raskovic-Ivic requested the right to speak again and
used it to counter a point in the European Union's statement
from the day's meeting, saying that claims of improvements in
freedom of movement and returns were untrue. The CCK
President also suggested that Kosovo Serb leaders lacked a
public mandate because only 811 Serbs voted in the last
elections. Rucker had the last word of the meeting to rebut
Raskovic-Ivic and commented, inter alia, that only a
small-fraction of Serbs had voted in 2004 because Belgrade
had interfered in the first place; the SRSG also cautioned
Belgrade "to be careful to avoid the impression that it
creates the conditions that it deplores."


2. (SBU) All Security Council members exercised their right
to make a national statement and most welcomed the presence
of both Raskovic-Ivic and Ceku and strongly agreed with
Rucker's praise of Kosovo's progress on standards
implementation and with his call for sustained progress; they
also echoed his appeal to Belgrade to allow Serbs greater
participation in the democratic process in Kosovo. In
Russia's national statement, Permanent Representative Churkin

warned against "arbitrary timelines", saying "only a
negotiated and not a one-sided or imposed solution can be
supported by the Security Council." Non-Security Council
members Finland (as EU President),Ukraine and Albania also
made statements. End summary.

Rucker Reviews Report on Standards Implementation


3. (SBU) In his first appearance before the Security Council
as SRSG, Joachim Rucker reviewed the most recent report on
standards implementations in Kosovo. Kosovo was represented
by Prime Minister Agim Ceku, who -- just as in June -- was
present at the meeting as a member of the SRSG's entourage
and sat behind the SRSG, but made no statement. The status
process, said Rucker, now understandably dominates
international attention, and, UNMIK, although not directly
involved in that process nonetheless shares the
Secretary-General's view that Kosovo has to be rid of

SIPDIS
uncertainty so that it could move on. Kosovo, had achieved
most of the priorities on standards implementation and the
Contact Group had contributed to this through its "Thirteen
Priorities" of June 19. Last month, the Kosovo Assembly had
moved to merge its plan for standards implementation with
goals to be met for its European path. There were still
incidents of ethnic violence, such as one in North Mitrovica
in August, but, attempts to say these occurred on a daily
basis were incorrect. Belgrade, Rucker said, needed to allow
Kosovo Serbs to participate more directly in democratic
processes in Kosovo and should rescind a directive to Serbs
working in most Kosovo institutions to choose between their
Belgrade and Pristina salaries. Rucker also criticized a
recent case where Serbs in Kosovo were discouraged from
meeting with Prime Minister Ceku. "Serbs are in a difficult
position in Kosovo, understandably fear for the future and do
not know who to trust as they have been barred from
participating in government for two and a half years,"
offered Rucker, "but integration is the answer, not
isolation." On standards implementation, justice and the
economy still needed attention, he added. Rucker also said
the devolution of UNMIK and its functions would be a major
activity that has to be undertaken even in the absence of a
clear timetable. "We also have to keep momentum in the
status process as a delay will only increase tension in the
region and make a new start harder when it comes," said
Rucker.

CCK President Raskovic-Ivic: Legalistic Arguments


4. (SBU) In a lengthy statement that offered mostly
legalistic arguments against Kosovo's independence, CCK

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President Raskovic-Ivic appealed that the Security Council
had unique significance and Serbia expected it would
contribute to the Future Status process "in line with its
previous documents, including UNSCR 1244 that reaffirms
Serbia's sovereignty and territorial integrity."
Raskovic-Ivic commented that former SRSG Soren
Jessen-Petersen's report at June's Security Council session
had reported progress in all areas, but the reality had
spoken for itself: since the last UNMIK meeting there had
been 51 incidents of ethnic violence in Kosovo and from the
launching of status talks in October 2005 to September 1,
2006 there had been more than 260. Raskovic-Ivic enumerated
other cases of violence that she said were directed by ethnic
Albanians against minorities, calling a recent case where an
Albanian had supposedly thrown a bomb into a Serb coffee shop
"an act of terrorism." However, Serbia's negotiating team
was working actively to protect minorities on
decentralization, she stated. Turning to status,
Raskovic-Ivic declared it was "unacceptable to rob an
internationally recognized state of fifteen percent of its
territory to create a second Albanian state." On another
subject, for protection of minorities and religious sites it
was fine to pass laws, but implementation was needed.
Raskovic-Ivic asserted that returns were also still a problem
and even the most optimistic figures showed no more than five
percent of Serbs as having returned, but the real figure was
closer to two percent. Raskovic-Ivic continued that property
claims were also not taken seriously in Kosovo and the Kosovo
Property Agency (KPA) had not even been given proper funds to
process claims. Trafficking in humans, drugs and arms also
plagued Kosovo and, to rectify this, Serbia was open to any
form of specialized police, she stated. Lastly, asserted
Raskovic-Ivic, "a premature solution should not be forced at
any cost as it would set a precedent that opens Pandora's
box." Raskovic-Ivic concluded with a warning that the
international community "should make the Albanians accept a
reasonable compromise solution so they could have the Serbs
as partners for the future, because, without the Serbs,
Albanians will not go far."

Russia: Only A Negotiated Solution Supportable In Security
Council


5. (SBU) In Russia's statement, Permrep Vitaly Churkin said
"the leaders of the province should focus on steps to protect
minorities and, despite some positive steps that are not
significant, the number of ethnically-motivated crimes has
shot up." Furthermore, returns of refugees and progress on
community rights was also not yet satisfactory. Churkin also
claimed the non-participation of Kosovo Serbs was because
Kosovo was far from a democratic society and trust was low.
He said it is "wrong to blame Belgrade for Kosovo-Serb
non-participation in the PISG" and called on Kosovo Serb
leaders to "lead the way." Belgrade's offer of greater
autonomy is open-ended and can be adjusted over time," said
Churkin " what is needed are real negotiations and it is
important for stability in the Balkans that the sides find
points of convergence. "Only a negotiated and not a
one-sided or imposed solution could be supported by the
Security Council and an optimistic solution would take a good
deal of time," said Churkin, "but it is a priority for Russia
and Russia opposes any arbitrary timeframe."

Statements By Other Council Members


6. (SBU) French Permrep de La Sabliere echoed Rucker's
praise of standards implementation as well as his call for
further progress. France hoped that the status negotiations
would result in a negotiated settlement, but the best way to
achieve that would be sticking to the established deadline of

2006. Belgrade and Pristina should both participate actively
in the status process. UK Deputy Permanent Representative
Karen Pierce called for standards implementation to continue
and declared that responsibility would fall on the PISG as
the international community could not do it. Kosovo's
assembly should also finalize laws on languages and cultural
assembly. While violence against Serbs in Kosovo was a
problem it could not alter the direction in which the status
process was heading. "Independence is an option for Kosovo
-- and some would say the only option to bring stability to
the region - but we still must work to protect minorities,"
said Pierce.


7. (SBU) Slovak Permrep Peter Burian welcomed Ceku's
attitude and commitment regarding standards implementation,
but asserted there should be "no semblance of double
standards." Violence in Kosovo ought to be condemned, said
Burian, and Kosovo's institutions should address security.
Slovakia also agreed that the number of minority returnees
was still not satisfactory. The international community

USUN NEW Y 00001823 003 OF 003


should maintain a presence in the north even after a status
determination, he stated. Slovakia continued to believe that
a balanced settlement and compromise would increase
stability in the region. Delivering the U.S. statement,
Ambassador Sanders promised that we would support Rucker in
helping UNMIK help build meaningful self-government in Kosovo
and cooperate with UNMIK and the PISG on standards
implementation. On standards, the U.S. applauded Prime
Minister Ceku for his government's completion of several of
the Contact Group's priorities, but ongoing efforts to
complete the remaining items needed to be intensified,
particularly regarding laws on languages and cultural
heritage and implementing a comprehensive rental program for
housing currently administered by the Kosovo Property Agency.
The U.S., furthermore, strongly condemned the August 26
incident in North Mitrovica. Belgrade should take immediate
steps to support Kosovo Serb participation in local
institutions and address other concerns. As noted by the
Contact Group in January, all possible efforts should be made
to achieve a negotiated settlement in 2006, stated Ambassador
Sanders.

Statements By Non-Council Members


8. (SBU) Under rule 37, which allows other countries to
deliver addresses, Finland, Ukraine and Albania also made
statements. Speaking on behalf of the EU, Finnish Ambassador
Kirsti Lintonen called for both sides to participate
constructively in the status process. The EU welcomed the
recent adoption of the European Partnership Action Plan.
Lintonen noted that a smooth transition from UNMIK would
require funding and while the EU was the largest donor,
funding from others would be needed; an international donor's
conference was foreseen after the status settlement and there
was need of a long-term commitment from the international
donor community. The status quo was unsustainable and had to
be replaced with a solution that would provide lasting peace
and promote Kosovo's European integration. Ukraine stated
that we needed a solution that would promote long-term
regional stability and expressed concerns about changing the
international borders of a democratic state and pointed to
independence referenda that had recently been announced in
Transnistria and South Ossetia. In Albania's statement,
Permanent Representative Adrian Neritani pledged Albania
would continue to play an active, helpful and moderating role
in close cooperation with the international community.

Meeting With Ceku


9. (SBU) In a meeting later in the day, Ambassador Sanders
met with Ceku (the meeting was originally supposed to be with
Rucker accompanied by Ceku). Ceku argued forcefully that the
key problem with standards implementation in Kosovo had
become Belgrade's determined opposition to block it. Ceku
pointed to his recent attempts to hold meetings with Kosovo
Serbs and other initiatives where Belgrade actively lobbied
Kosovo Serbs and undercut his initiatives. Sanders asked
Ceku how he saw the process playing out in the next three
months, to which the Prime Minister replied that he was
worried that if we could not stick to the US and Contact
Group commitment of finishing the process by the end of the
year then it might not be possible to wait any longer as he
had leveraged considerable progress by assuring Kosovo's
people that a status outcome was in the pipeline. In
response to a question on decentralization from the Deputy
Political Counselor, Ceku said that it was becoming difficult
to give more, and not because of hesitation to be forthcoming
with the Serbs, rather out of "fundamental worries about
functionality." Ceku said the timeline he envisaged would
have a status decision by the end of the year, three months
for UNMIK to "pack its bags" while Kosovo worked on a
constitution and then elections capping all of this in the
summer or fall of 2007.

BOLTON