Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06USUNNEWYORK2202
2006-12-01 23:43:00
CONFIDENTIAL
USUN New York
Cable title:  

UNDER SECRETARY BURNS' NOVEMBER 27 MEETING WITH UN

Tags:  PGOV PREL UN YI 
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DE RUCNDT #2202/01 3352343
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 012343Z DEC 06
FM USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0842
INFO RUEHZG/NATO EU COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHBW/AMEMBASSY BELGRADE PRIORITY 0116
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS PRIORITY
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO PRIORITY 1107
RUEHPS/USOFFICE PRISTINA PRIORITY 0693
C O N F I D E N T I A L USUN NEW YORK 002202 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/01/2016
TAGS: PGOV PREL UN YI
SUBJECT: UNDER SECRETARY BURNS' NOVEMBER 27 MEETING WITH UN
SPECIAL ENVOY MARTTI AHTISAARI


Classified By: AMBASSADOR ALEX WOLFF REASONS 1.4 (B) and (D).

C O N F I D E N T I A L USUN NEW YORK 002202

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/01/2016
TAGS: PGOV PREL UN YI
SUBJECT: UNDER SECRETARY BURNS' NOVEMBER 27 MEETING WITH UN
SPECIAL ENVOY MARTTI AHTISAARI


Classified By: AMBASSADOR ALEX WOLFF REASONS 1.4 (B) and (D).


1. (C) SUMMARY: UN Special Envoy for Kosovo Status, Martti
Ahtisaari, told U/S Burns he plans to deliver his package of
recommendations on the future status of Kosovo to the UN
Security Council in March 2006, after presenting it to
Serbian and Kosovar leadership in late January. Ahtisaari's
cover report to the UNSC will include a call for Kosovo
independence with international supervision. Ahtisaari plans
to allow a 10-14 day period for Belgrade and Pristina to
consider his recommendations and offer their comments, before
he takes them to the Council. However, he remains concerned
about calls from Russia and EU members to prolong the
negotiations. U/S Burns offered full U.S. support for
Ahtisaari's timeline and plans, but acknowledged the
difficulties ahead in keeping the Europeans and Security
Council united to complete final status. END SUMMARY


2. (U) Participants:

U.S.
--------------
Under Secretary Burns
Ambassador Alejandro Wolff
Ambassador Frank Wisner
P Staff - Anja Manuel
USUN - Kirk McBride
USUN - Drew Schufletowski
EUR Note taker - Stephen Gee

UNOSEK
--------------
UN Special Envoy for Kosovo Status Talks Martti Ahtisaari
Kai Sauer - Senior Advisor to the Status Envoy
Bradford Bell - U.S. Liaison
Dmitri Schlapachenko - Political Officer


3. (C) Ahtisaari told Burns he is prepared to deliver his
settlement proposals to the parties as early as January 29 or
30, 2007, following on Serbian Parliamentary elections which
will take place on January 21. Ahtisaari would travel to
Belgrade and Pristina on the same day to present his
proposals to both parties, which will include a section with
general principles and annexes with specific recommendations.
Ahtisaari has decided against holding another summit meeting
with Belgrade and Pristina, after consulting with the Contact
Group. He does plan to return to Belgrade and Pristina in mid
February to hear reactions and comments of the political
leaders to his proposals. He will submit the plan to the
UNSC immediately thereafter, accompanied by a report spelling

out the justifications for his proposals. It will be very
clear in the report that his recommended final status should
be "independence for Kosovo, with supervision over its
sovereignty."


4. (C) Ahtisaari expressed concern, however, about likely
attempts to prolong the negotiations. Both the French and
Slovaks have told Ahtisaari and his deputy, Albert Rohan,
they are in favor of using his proposals as a basis for
reopening negotiations. Spain and Romania have called to
extend the negotiations in hopes of finding an agreement
acceptable to both sides. The Russians also have continued
to push a hard line against concluding the process. At the
EU-Russia summit in Helsinki on November 24, the Russians had
argued that U.S. and E.U. interest in Kosovo would wane after
final status, and the Europeans would be left with an
unstable Islamic state in the Balkans. The Russians argued,
instead, for a 5-10 year process to arrive at a final status
agreement. Ahtisaari fears the arguments for more
negotiations are gaining traction.


5. (C) Burns acknowledged the difficulties that lie ahead
with the Russians and expressed full U.S. support for
Ahtisaari's timeline and plan for concluding the
negotiations. Burns said he believed the Russians cannot
sustain a fight on Kosovo forever in the UNSC, since they
will be isolated in their position. The Russians will work
on individual countries to weaken their resolve, Burns said,
and therefore the U.S. and Europeans must hold firm.
Otherwise, the Russians will gain one compromise, and then
proceed to slice that compromise further. Burns also said he
feared the Germans were not as resolute as we would like.


6. (C) Burns asked Ahtisaari if he had thought through the
possible reactions of Kosovo Serbs in the north to his status
proposals, to which Ahtisaari responded that he has organized


a meeting in December with UNMIK and KFOR to go over possible
scenarios. Ahtisaari said it would be difficult to maintain
territorial unity, because of the past failure of UNMIK to
prosecute perpetrators of inter-ethnic crimes and challenge
parallel structures. Ahtisaari and Burns agreed that KFOR
and UNMIK would need to have firm resolve to maintain a safe
and secure environment in the days immediately after final
status.


7. (C) Ambassador Wisner raised the need for Ahtisaari to
have his staff complete work on talking points and a press
strategy that can be used to explain details of the package
to the Kosovar people. He predicted that the Serbs will
continue to provoke the Kosovars by demanding high-level
visits by Serbian leaders during the January holidays and in
the lead up to the elections. Wisner suggested we counsel
UNMIK to be accommodating if possible, as well as remind the
Kosovars not to react to provocations. Wisner invited
Ahtisaari to think through with in the coming weeks, how he
might respond to a scenario where the Russians succeed in
blocking a Security Council resolution.

BOLTON