Kosovo Weekly Report (July 30 - Aug. 3, 2007)

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BELGRADE 001098 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PBTS PREL PGOV SR KV SUBJECT: Kosovo Weekly Report (July 30 - Aug. 3, 2007) ¶1. (u) This report covers activities related to Kosovo for the week of July 30. ¶2. (sbu) Summary: This week was marked by an anticipatory pause - most of the GoS was on vacation, with only Foreign Minister Jeremic making waves in the media. GoS reactions to the UNSYG announcement of a new negotiating period and the naming of Troika representatives were subdued. By the end of the week, the GoS strategy was becoming clearer, with Kosovo Minister Samardzic announcing the government's intent to argue strongly about the format and timeline of the negotiations during the first Troika visit, and demand that "negotiating rules" be strictly adhered to. End Summary. REACTION TO TROIKA; NEGOTIATING STRATEGY LAID OUT ¶3. (sbu) KOSMIN Samardzic declined to comment on Ischinger's appointment on July 30, saying only "the method of the negotiations" is important. Samardzic said the role of the Contact Group should be to help the UNSC emerge from its impasse, which "was caused not by Russia's threat of a veto, but because some permanent and non-permanent UNSC members were prepared to break international law and draw this body into it." DSS declined comment on the appointment as well, and UNSYG Ban Ki Moon's statement launching the talks met with little press interest. ¶4. (sbu) In response to reports in local press on July 31 that the EU might be devising a plan to form a confederation of Serbia and Kosovo along the lines of the Dayton model, PM Kostunica characterized it as "pure nonsense". Kostunica said that "The issue of all national minorities in Europe and the world was resolved exclusively through different forms of autonomy, and that this universal rule had to apply also for the Albanian national minority." Also on July 31, Education Minister Loncar (DSS) reiterated the new GOS position that "the Kosovo issue does not exist," only the "question on the legal degree of autonomy for the Albanian national minority." ¶5. (sbu) Kosovo Minister Samardzic told reporters on Thursday that the GOS has approved a proposal of rules for the negotiations on Kosovo's future status, which will be forwarded to the embassies of the CG. He said that the negotiator in the talks must not be allowed to violate these rules, stressing that the GOS will insist on these rules when the GG troika comes to Belgrade. One of the measures to be submitted to the CG is the rejection of Ahtisaari's package of measures. GOVERNMENT OF SERBIA ACTIVITIES ¶6. (sbu) FONMIN Jeremic admitted "great differences" exist between Serbia and the U.S. on Kosovo after his visit with the Secretary, but local press on July 30 emphasized that the FONMIN and the Secretary had agreed there should be "essential negotiations" (a SIPDIS parallel concept to Kostunica's "essential autonomy"),and quoted Jeremic as saying that he had "resumed a productive high-level dialogue" with U.S. leadership. Local press also emphasized that his visit had produced more understanding in the U.S. of the need for a solution for Kosovo based on the UN charter. ¶7. (sbu) In an interview with Glas Javnosti on August 1, Jeremic said Ahtisaari's plan had been rejected and that there is no more discussion about it. In an exclusive interview with the BBC on August 1, FM Jeremic hinted that Belgrade may consider more concessions on Kosovo but did not produce new, significant specifics. Jeremic said that these may include Pristina's "own access to the World Bank and the IMF, like the international financial institutions, like some kind of representation abroad" but that Albanian leaders "need to be prepared to give up something" as well. KOSMIN Samardzic defended Jeremic's remarks on August 2, saying they were nothing new or dramatic, but part of the Serbian platform - in response to Radical party leaders' attacks on Jeremic for making offers "far from substantial autonomy." REPORTED USG STATEMENTS ¶8. (sbu) Kurir and Glas Javnosti reprinted the Ambassador's statements from his final interview with daily Danas. The Ambassador urged Serbia to "let Kosovo go" and stressed that Kosovo's independence will not destabilize the Balkans and Europe. TANJUG news agency reported U.S. Envoy Wisner's assessment on August 1 that "Ahtisaari's plan is still current and that we should not deviate from it much." DIPLOMATIC ACTIVITIES ¶9. (sbu) Russian President Putin's July 27 statement in support of Serbia's "struggle" against Kosovo independence received heavy coverage in Serbia over the weekend. ¶10. (sbu) Christina Gallach, spokesperson of the EU Foreign Policy and Security Chief Solana, denied on July 31 any knowledge of the EU preparing a proposal on Kosovo-Serbia confederation, but instead stated that the EU was preparing for the negotiations. BELGRADE 00001098 002 OF 002 ¶11. (sbu) Belgrade media reported on July 31 that Russian representative Botsan-Kharchenko said that Russia will start from the following standpoints: (1) no preset solution for the Kosovo status; (2) Belgrade and Pristina positions considered; (3) solution must be the result of compromise based on UNSCR 1244; and (4) continuing possibility of implementation of UNSCR 1244 and the fulfillment of standards set by the international community for Kosovo. ¶12. (sbu) Greek Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis said on July 31 that the issue of Kosovo was "an international problem that demands an international solution" confirmed by a decision in the U.N. Security Council. ¶13. (sbu) On Aug. 1, the Slovenian government denied the allegations of the London daily, The Financial Times, that Slovenia would try to persuade Serbia to accept the independence of Kosovo. The Slovenian government claims that it sees the resolution of the Kosovo status and Serbia's EU path as two parallel processes, which could not be mutually connected. ¶14. (sbu) In an interview to RTS on August 2, Russian Ambassador to Belgrade Alexeyev said that "Ahtisaari's plan is dead," and has been taken off the table. He also said that there can be no deadlines for ending the negotiations on the province's status. SIMMONS