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.

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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