Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07BELGRADE876
2007-06-21 06:31:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Belgrade
Cable title:  

SOUTHERN SERBIA: SEPERATIST RALLY FIZZLES

Tags:  PGOV PREL PHUM PBTS KPAO SR MW YI 
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VZCZCXRO1368
PP RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDBU RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA
RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHBW #0876 1720631
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 210631Z JUN 07
FM AMEMBASSY BELGRADE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1036
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC 1360
RUFOADA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK
RHMFISS/CDR USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE
UNCLAS BELGRADE 000876 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O.12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM PBTS KPAO SR MW YI
SUBJECT: SOUTHERN SERBIA: SEPERATIST RALLY FIZZLES


UNCLAS BELGRADE 000876

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O.12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM PBTS KPAO SR MW YI
SUBJECT: SOUTHERN SERBIA: SEPERATIST RALLY FIZZLES



1. SUMMARY: A June 15 rally in southern Serbia calling for
the separation of three municipalities from Serbia (and
joining with Kosovo) drew much lower numbers of
participants than expected. Political leaders in the area
were divided, and in the end none of the political leaders
addressed the crowd of about 200. The Ambassador's
interview on an Albanian-language television station --
during which he spoke out strongly against such separatist
ambitions -- aired the evening before the protest and was
cited by local OSCE representatives as a factor in the
protest's poor showing. The situation in the south,
however, is another factor we must consider in a possible
delay of Kosovo status settlement. Similarly to Kosovo
itself, every day without a settlement is a day of possible
mischief by self-serving and irresponsible politicians that
can ignite broader conflict. END SUMMARY.



2. Several weeks ago, veterans of the Liberation Army of
Presevo, Medvedja and Bujanovac (UCPMB) announced a rally
in Presevo on June 15 with the stated aim of calling for
the implementation of an unsanctioned 1992 referendum in
favor of splitting the three municipalities from Serbia and
joining Kosovo. The UCPMB was a paramilitary active in
southern Serbia in 2002 with separatist ambitions.
Publicity materials for the protest referred to the region
as "eastern Kosovo," a term often used by the UCPMB and
other hard-line groups.


3. Political parties in the region were split along the
same lines as during the decision to participate in Serbian
parliamentary elections in January 2007. Hard-line parties
of the mayor of Presevo, Ragmi Mustafa and deputy mayor of
Bujanovac, Jonuz Musliu, supported the initiative. Member
of Parliament Riza Halimi and Dr. Skender Destani, who
supported election participation, were publicly against the
effort.


4. The Ambassador gave an interview to 'TV ALDI,' a new
Albanian-language station based in Presevo on June 13 and
made clear that the aims of the UCPMB, Mustafa and Musliu
are directly opposed to USG principles. He urged Presevo
Valley Albanians to build on their success in the January
2007 elections by sending Halimi to Belgrade as their
representative. The interview aired on the evening of June
14 throughout the Presevo Valley.


5. The protest itself fizzled, drawing only 200 (at most)
and with none of the political leaders addressing the
group. Mustafa and Musliu did attend the protest. Local
OSCE representatives reported speeches by UCPMB veterans
"advocating joining with Kosovo and calling on NATO to pay
attention to the Presevo Valley." The OSCE office also
noted that the organizers "were undoubtedly expecting
considerably more participants than turned up," and the
Ambassador's interview "assisted in minimizing the impact
of this protest."


6. Comment: The situation along the ABL in the Presevo
Valley remains calm but necessitates monitoring. Despite
this rally's failure, there remain significant divisions
among the 60,000 ethnic Albanians living in southern Serbia
about whether engagement or protest is the way to resolve
their concerns with Belgrade. Halimi is doing very well as
an MP advocating for his constituents within Serbia's
democratic institutions and his brave stance against this
rally coupled with USG support is proving a good basis for
greater stability. The Presevo Valley, however, is another
factor we must consider in a possible delay of Kosovo
status settlement. Similarly to Kosovo itself, every day
without a Kosovo settlement is a day of possible mischief
by self-serving and irresponsible politicians that can
ignite into broader conflict.

POLT