SOUTHERN SERBIA: ALBANIANS CRITICIZE BELGRADE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 BELGRADE 001359

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O.12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM PBTS KPAO SR MW KV
SUBJECT: SOUTHERN SERBIA: ALBANIANS CRITICIZE BELGRADE

REF: 06 Belgrade 232

Summary
--------------


1. (SBU) All ethnic Albanian parties from southern Serbia's Presevo
Valley signed a declaration, September 29, criticizing the
Government of Serbia for "delaying" political progress in the
region. The parties alleged that the GOS was militarizing the
region, failing to follow through on promised investment, and
excluding Albanian leaders from its Coordination Body for Southern
Serbia. The GOS dismissed the Albanians as "hypocritical" and
insisted that Belgrade's investments in the Presevo Valley, were
disproportionately excessive, relative to the population. The
declaration reaffirms the Albanians' previous public pronouncements
and expresses strong support for the Ahtisaari plan. While the
declaration drew the GOS ire, given the politically charged context
of Kosovo status talks, its criticism was measured and the drafters
exercised restraint, refraining from calling for action or
secession. End Summary.

The Declaration
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2. (SBU) Every major Albanian party from southern Serbia supported a
"political declaration" on September 29 in Presevo calling for more
autonomy from Belgrade and union with Kosovo, in the event of
partition of Kosovo. The declaration restated the position the same
parties had outlined in a political platform of the Albanian
community in January 2006 (reftel). Sixty-one of the 64 Albanian
assembly members from the Serbian municipalities with significant
Albanian populations (Presevo, Bujanovac and Medvedja) signed the
document. The declaration followed and denounced an August GOS
decision to restructure the Coordination Body for Southern Serbia
(CB). The paper criticized the decision and the fact that the
government had acted without consulting local Albanian leaders. The
signers declared "unreserved" support for the Ahtisaari Plan and
asked for implementation in the Presevo Valley of the same community
protections that the plan prescribes for Kosovo. The declaration
condemned the GOS' "militarization" of the valley and complained
that the government had not followed through on promises to develop
the region economically and politically. On October 3, Shaip
Kamberi, a senior member of the moderate Party for Democratic Action
(PDA),told the press that the "political situation in the region
[was] worsening" and claimed that the GOS had resources to "build
more army bases but not to finish the cultural center in Presevo."
He added that the declaration had "nothing to do with the ongoing
talks on Kosovo," since it only addressed the needs of Albanians
living in the south of Serbia proper.


3. (SBU) Presevo Valley leaders and political analysts touted the
importance of the declaration, but acknowledged that the document
broke no new ground. Riza Halimi, Serbian MP and PDA president,
told poloff on October 4 that it was important to show the common
conviction of Albanians in the Presevo Valley that the CB was
failing. Halimi said that the declaration was purposefully "vague"
and no more provocative than the January 2006 platform. According
to Halimi, the declaration represented the Albanian parties' common
agenda. They continue to disagree on important issues (e.g. a
national council). Local OSCE representative Martin Brooks told
poloff on October 4 that the declaration was indeed "nothing new"
and that it was notably moderate, considering the hardline views
still prominent among Presevo Valley Albanians.

Still No Albanian National Council
--------------


4. (SBU) The declaration's strong support for an Albanian national
council is particularly noteworthy. Albanians remain the only
minority in Serbia without a national council, a GOS-recognized
representative body for minorities to advocate on issues of culture,
education, language and national symbols. The major parties --
Halimi's PVD and Presevo Mayor Mustafa's harder line PDSh --
consistently fail to agree on terms of reference for the body which
each seek to control.

Local Serb Reaction
--------------


5. (SBU) Serb leaders in Bujanovac told the that the Albanian
declaration was provocative enough and another indication of Presevo
Valley Albanians' desire to separate from Serbia. Stojanca Arsic, a
leader of the Coalition for Bujanovac told the press on October 3
that "it is not hard to understand why [Serb] citizens do not trust
local authorities," when certain Albanian leaders "advocate
partition of the region." Brooks also told poloff on October 4 that
Serbs in the Presevo Valley "are just as upset with the CB" as the
Albanians, but for a different reason: They thought Belgrade
provided too much to the Albanian community.

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GOS reaction
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6. (SBU) The government, for its turn, publicly denounced the
declaration and rebuffed the criticism. Labor Minister Rasim
Ljajic, who heads the CB, on October 1 suggested political
opportunism, on the part of the ethnic Albanians of Bujanovac,
Presevo, and Medvedja for "express[ing] their political will" in the
midst of Kosovo status talks. "Serbia will not pay any special
attention to this declaration, which is highly hypocritical," Ljajic
said. In an August 28 meeting with poloff, OSCE, and UK
representatives, Ljajic, noting that he had no wish to remain
President of the CB, said that southern Serbia had received
disproportionate amounts of investment (40 million Euros since 2001)
and better treatment than other regions of Serbia, even calling the
region 'El Dorado.' He cited the Kosovo status process as the only
reason to maintain the CB and hoped that it would only last one more
year.


7. (SBU) On October 3, Ljajic's deputy Nenad Djurdjevic elaborated
to poloff that the GOS viewed the declaration as "very unhelpful"
and a distraction from "productive GOS efforts" in southern Serbia.
Djurdjevic was recently appointed as Ljajic's deputy, and told
poloff on September 8 that he would be taking on the day-to-day
tasks of the CB. Djurdjevic noted that the CB was planning to open
two liaison positions for Albanian representatives in the local CB
offices in Bujanovac and Presevo, and expand the CB's press office
to help publicize the CB's "positive activities."


8. (U) Begin unofficial translation of September 29 declaration:

Taking into account the deterioration of political circumstances in
Presevo Valley happening as a consequence of:

- Disregard of political requests of Albanians from Presevo Valley
presented in Political Platform adopted on 14 January 2006,

- Filled with indignation as a result of statements made by Serbian
officials for militarization of Presevo Valley that represents a
threat to peace and stability of the region,

- At a period when Kosovo has entered the most important phase for
determination of its political-legal status and when the entire
region of the Western Balkans is aiming for acceleration of
Euro-Atlantic integration process,

- In order to bring to life the initiative for our presentation with
one national voice that would help the internationalization of our
efforts to resolve the status of Albanians from Presevo Valley in
spirit with European integration processes:

In the meeting held on 29 September 2007 in Presevo, the Assembly of
Albanian councilors from Presevo Valley adopts this:

POLITICAL DECLARATION

In the following period, by constantly endorsing the strategic
political orientations of Albanians from Presevo Valley, the
Assembly:

- Reconfirms its full support for Political Platform adopted on 14
January 2006;

- Unreservedly supports the Plan of President Ahtisaari as the only
possible compromise for solution of Kosovo status that would produce
peace, regional stability and would pave the way for democratization
and integration of Serbia into Euro-Atlantic family,

- Based on principle of reciprocity engages for application of
values and guarantees from the sphere of protection of communities
as foreseen in Ahtisaari's Plan in Presevo Valley as well;

- Expresses concern for unjustifiable delays of the process for
solution of Kosovo's status;

- Condemns and considers as unacceptable any form of militarization
of Presevo Valley and assesses them as a threat to regional
stability and economic development of Presevo Valley;

- Urges for increase of level of attention of all relevant
international community factors in devotedly observing the grave
situation in Presevo Valley and undertaking of appropriate steps for
its improvement;

- Assesses that presence of international mechanisms in Presevo
Valley represents a preventive for maintenance of security, peace,
regional stability and its prosperity;


BELGRADE 00001359 003 OF 003


- Concerned with delays of political process that has begun in 2001,
warns that escalation of situation in this region would reflect with
undesirable consequences not only in Presevo Valley, but the entire
region;

- Concludes lack of functionality in the work of Coordination Body
and refuses participation in Decision (23 August 2007) for its
reorganization. Assembly will be competent to make decisions
regarding the future relations with Coordination Body;

- Convinced that establishment of National Council is in the
interest of Albanians from Presevo Valley, confirms its engagement
for enforcement of legal position of the National Council and its
establishment;

- Confirms its position that Assembly of Albanian Councillors from
Presevo Valley is a representative political body of Albanians from
this region and is competent in making of any strategic political
decisions for definition of political status of Albanians from
Presevo Valley in conformity with Political Platform.

Presevo, 29 September 2007,

Assembly of
Albanian Councilors from Presevo Valley

End text.

Comment
--------------


9. (SBU) By this declaration, the Presevo Valley Albanians have
renewed their common complaint about relations with Belgrade taking
into account developments since they first issued January 2006
platform. Much as Belgrade may have disliked the rhetoric, the
Albanians' declaration was moderate. It did not include provocative
calls for union with Kosovo or dissolution of the CB, the stance of
some of the harder line parties. Embassy will urge the Presevo
Valley Albanians to continue working within Belgrade institutions,
building on their historic, successful run in the January 2007
parliamentary elections. Embassy also will continue to urge the GOS
and CB authorities to honor their commitments and investments in
southern Serbia -- many of which U.S. assistance programs
substantially enhance. End Comment.

BRUSH