KOSOVO: SERBIA WEEKLY UPDATE (4/30-5/4)

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BELGRADE 000597 SIPDIS SIPDIS SENSITIVE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PBTS UNSC PGOV PREL PHUM KPAO SR SUBJECT: KOSOVO: SERBIA WEEKLY UPDATE (4/30-5/4) REFS: A) BELGRADE 582 B) BELGRADE 569 AND PREVIOUS ¶1. (U) This cable summarizes notable events relating to Serbia and Kosovo. SUMMARY -------------- ¶2. (sbu) This was an abbreviated week for Kosovo-related news owing to a 2-day May Day holiday. Media focus at the beginning of the week was on the SCM visit that concluded in Kosovo over the preceding weekend (ref a). Serbian media also continues its (seemingly orchestrated) offensive to make as much political hay as possible out of real or perceived statements critical of the Ahtisaari plan or the UNSC process. SCM VISIT FOLLOW-UP -------------- ¶3. (SBU) Serbian press reporting, both electronic and print, has consistently portrayed a far different picture of the recent Security Council Mission (SCM) to Belgrade and Kosovo than facts on the ground would warrant. The press focused most of its attention during the Belgrade portion of the visit on three issues: the government's claim that the visit represented a renewed negotiations process; the changing attitudes in the UNSC evidenced by a remark by the South African PermRep; and the need for the SCM to visit more Serb enclaves and the IDP rally in Jarinje. This focus was sustained despite a far more balanced and nuanced press conference given by the head of the SCM, Belgian PermRep Verbeke, at the end of the Belgrade portion of the visit that highlighted, inter alia, that New York and the Ahtisaari plan would continue to be the focus of UNSC deliberations and that the visit must be a balanced one (ref a). Serbian press also covered Verbeke's initial oral report in NY later in the week, reporting his assessment that the mission served its purpose and provided an opportunity for the diplomats of the UNSC to see the Kosovo situation first hand. GOS ACTIVITIES -------------- ¶4. (sbu) On May 3, CCK Head (and DSS VP) Sanda Raskovic-Ivic said that the US-EU Kosovo document announced earlier in the week flagrantly dictates a solution and ignores the views of Russia, China and some non-permanent members of the UNSC. FonMin Draskovic told B92 that the US and EU are putting pressure for a new Kosovo resolution to be put before the end of May despite differences with Russia. Presidential adviser and future FONMIN hopeful Vuk Jeremic said the US and EU are simply emphasizing their official positions ahead of the UNSC debate. ¶5. (sbu) Local press widely reported this week that an undiscovered mass grave, containing the bodies of Kosovo Albanians from the conflict of the late 1990s, could exist but the news is still not officially confirmed. On the basis of a statement by a witness that a truck unloaded bodies near the site during the 1999 NATO bombing, the War Crimes Prosecutor's Office requested a court in Belgrade investigate, and a preliminary exhumation should begin on June 5. The existence of this potential site has long been known to Serbian and UNMIK authorities. On the basis of preliminary information sent to Embassy RLA by UNMIK in February, RLA, S/WCI and UNMIK reps met with War Crimes Investigative Judge Dilparic February 13 to secure GoS agreement to excavate the site. This resulted in an agreement that a preliminary dig would be held in presence of UNMIK. After some delay in the issuing of the dig permit (Dilparic held things up requesting more specific information about the target area),a follow-up meeting in April was held at the proposed place of the dig in Raska and there was an agreement to start the dig in early June. OTHER DIPLOMATIC INITIATIVES -------------- ¶6. (sbu) Serbian press reported Swedish FonMin Carl Bildt's criticism of statements by former USG official Richard Holbrook to the effect that official Washington would recognize the unilaterally proclaimed independence of Kosovo. Bildt said such an approach represents "playing with fire", and said that in order to resolve the future status of Kosovo, the UNSC had first to adopt a resolution. Some analysts note that the presumed intent of the statement was to forge European consensus around the need for a UNSCR in order to solidify EU backing for a new resolution, local press portrayed it more as a straight admonition of USG policy. The same process played out later in the week when Norwegian Diplomat Kai Eide stated that a unilateral recognition of Kosovo's independence without a UNSC resolution would be dangerous as this would mean that Kosovo's status would not be legal, which would in turn create problems for the international community planning to enter Kosovo with a new EU-led mission. Eide then stressed that the UNSC members must do everything it can to reach an agreement. BELGRADE 00000597 002 OF 002 ¶7. (u) Serbian Press Spun the London CG POLDIRs Meeting in reporting May 4, highlighting that Russian Deputy FonMin Titov reiterated his proposal to draft an overview of the implementation of Res. 1244 and to encourage the negotiation process between Belgrade and Pristina brokered by the international community. Serbian public broadcaster RTS characterized the meeting as being held at the initiative of Russia and aimed at resolving the Kosovo problem by taking into account the UNSC mission visits to the region. ¶8. (sbu) German Deputy FonMin Erler did passably well in hewing to agreed CG positions in Belgrade meetings May 3. Local press played up his statement that Germany opposes any announcement of one-sided recognition of Kosovo until Res. 1244 is implemented, but also reported that Erler informed Belgrade's leadership about the positions of all 27 EU members which consider Ahtisaari's plan for resolving the Kosovo status as a compromise to which there is no reasonable alternative. Local press also mentioned Erler's statement that the responsibility for resolution of the Kosovo issue is with the UN, and that the UN will decide whether or not Res. 1244 would be replaced. POLT