Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07BELGRADE249
2007-02-23 17:01:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Belgrade
Cable title:
KOSOVO: SERBIA WEEKLY UPDATE
how-toVZCZCXRO6435 PP RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDBU RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG DE RUEHBW #0249 0541701 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 231701Z FEB 07 FM AMEMBASSY BELGRADE TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0331 INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC 1302 RUFOADA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK RHMFISS/CDR USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE RXFEAA/HQ AFSOUTH NAPLES IT
UNCLAS BELGRADE 000249
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
E.O.12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM PBTS KPAO SR MW YI
SUBJECT: KOSOVO: SERBIA WEEKLY UPDATE
UNCLAS BELGRADE 000249
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
E.O.12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM PBTS KPAO SR MW YI
SUBJECT: KOSOVO: SERBIA WEEKLY UPDATE
1. (U) This cable summarizes notable events relating to
Serbia and Kosovo.
UNOSEK: the view from Belgrade
--------------
2. (SBU) For the week of 2/19, almost all Kosovo focus was
on the UNOSEK talks in Vienna. The media reports from
Vienna have been mostly straightforward. However, all
sources noted that the talks have shown little progress, as
none of the Serbian team's proposals have been accepted.
The Radicals, in their traditional rhetoric aimed at their
base, have urged the negotiating team to abandon the talks.
There are contradictory messages in the media on whether
the Ahtisaari proposal will be significantly amended.
The GOS suggestion for a "Serbian entity" in Kosovo had the
biggest domestic impact, as well as PM Kostunica's use of
UNOSEK talks as an excuse to stall government coalition
negotiations. (Tadic actually uses a similar excuse.)
Serbia press reports have suggested that Kostunica has
refused discussions on a possible coalition with President
Tadic until the conclusion of the UNOSEK talks.
3. (SBU) Kostunica also used the attacks on UNMIK vehicles
in Pristina as a way to call for the international
community not to "reward...Albanian separatists" with
independence and to warn against the IC submitting to
threats of violence by K-Albanians. Both Kostunica and
Tadic have expressed confidence that the UNSC will not
approve a resolution which leads to Kosovo's independence.
Former U.S. UN PermRep Bolton's comments to Voice of
America warning against an "imposed solution" in Kosovo
appeared without comment in almost in every daily, and on
primetime television including national broadcaster RTS.
GOS-KFOR
--------------
4. (SBU) CHOD Ponos told MILOFFs in a 2/22 meeting on that
he had a positive and productive meeting with KFOR in Nis
on Wednesday. Ponos said the two sides had good
discussions about parallel patrols, lines of communication
and information sharing, and control of refugee flows.
Ponos said he is confident of a good professional working
relationship between the Serbian armed forces and KFOR
throughout the Kosovo status process.
Protests at Embassy next week
--------------
5. (SBU) Looking ahead to next week, the Interior Ministry
(MUP) has informed post that it has approved the Serbian
National Council's request to hold a demonstration outside
the Embassy on February 27 at 1400. The rally by this
group of mostly hardline Kosovo Serbs has been supported
explicitly or tacitly by SPS, SRS, and DSS. For the last
few days, Serbian newspapers have been running full-page
letters from the SNC to Ambassador Polt announcing the
rally. Announcements have run on national television as
well. A rumor that SRS plans a second rally on February 28
is unconfirmed, and may be a misinterpretation of their
plan to support the February 27 rally. Embassy held an EAC
on 2/23 (septel) to prepare for the demonstration, which
MUP officials tell us could attract tens of thousands of
supporters and will likely tie Belgrade traffic in knots
throughout the day.
Belgrade Diplomatic Activity
--------------
5. (SBU) The Danish Foreign Minister visited and expressed
Denmark's support for the Ahtisaari Plan. Among Quint
Ambassadors there is wide unanimity on moving ahead swiftly
to New York and making an end. Italian "understanding" of
Belgrade's coalition building "angst" and blaming Ahtisaari
is not much appreciated even by his European colleagues.
POLT
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
E.O.12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM PBTS KPAO SR MW YI
SUBJECT: KOSOVO: SERBIA WEEKLY UPDATE
1. (U) This cable summarizes notable events relating to
Serbia and Kosovo.
UNOSEK: the view from Belgrade
--------------
2. (SBU) For the week of 2/19, almost all Kosovo focus was
on the UNOSEK talks in Vienna. The media reports from
Vienna have been mostly straightforward. However, all
sources noted that the talks have shown little progress, as
none of the Serbian team's proposals have been accepted.
The Radicals, in their traditional rhetoric aimed at their
base, have urged the negotiating team to abandon the talks.
There are contradictory messages in the media on whether
the Ahtisaari proposal will be significantly amended.
The GOS suggestion for a "Serbian entity" in Kosovo had the
biggest domestic impact, as well as PM Kostunica's use of
UNOSEK talks as an excuse to stall government coalition
negotiations. (Tadic actually uses a similar excuse.)
Serbia press reports have suggested that Kostunica has
refused discussions on a possible coalition with President
Tadic until the conclusion of the UNOSEK talks.
3. (SBU) Kostunica also used the attacks on UNMIK vehicles
in Pristina as a way to call for the international
community not to "reward...Albanian separatists" with
independence and to warn against the IC submitting to
threats of violence by K-Albanians. Both Kostunica and
Tadic have expressed confidence that the UNSC will not
approve a resolution which leads to Kosovo's independence.
Former U.S. UN PermRep Bolton's comments to Voice of
America warning against an "imposed solution" in Kosovo
appeared without comment in almost in every daily, and on
primetime television including national broadcaster RTS.
GOS-KFOR
--------------
4. (SBU) CHOD Ponos told MILOFFs in a 2/22 meeting on that
he had a positive and productive meeting with KFOR in Nis
on Wednesday. Ponos said the two sides had good
discussions about parallel patrols, lines of communication
and information sharing, and control of refugee flows.
Ponos said he is confident of a good professional working
relationship between the Serbian armed forces and KFOR
throughout the Kosovo status process.
Protests at Embassy next week
--------------
5. (SBU) Looking ahead to next week, the Interior Ministry
(MUP) has informed post that it has approved the Serbian
National Council's request to hold a demonstration outside
the Embassy on February 27 at 1400. The rally by this
group of mostly hardline Kosovo Serbs has been supported
explicitly or tacitly by SPS, SRS, and DSS. For the last
few days, Serbian newspapers have been running full-page
letters from the SNC to Ambassador Polt announcing the
rally. Announcements have run on national television as
well. A rumor that SRS plans a second rally on February 28
is unconfirmed, and may be a misinterpretation of their
plan to support the February 27 rally. Embassy held an EAC
on 2/23 (septel) to prepare for the demonstration, which
MUP officials tell us could attract tens of thousands of
supporters and will likely tie Belgrade traffic in knots
throughout the day.
Belgrade Diplomatic Activity
--------------
5. (SBU) The Danish Foreign Minister visited and expressed
Denmark's support for the Ahtisaari Plan. Among Quint
Ambassadors there is wide unanimity on moving ahead swiftly
to New York and making an end. Italian "understanding" of
Belgrade's coalition building "angst" and blaming Ahtisaari
is not much appreciated even by his European colleagues.
POLT