DEMARCHE TO SUPPORT UN KOSOVO PROPOSALS

C O N F I D E N T I A L BUDAPEST 000467 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPARTMENT PLEASE PASS TO NSC FOR ADAM STERLING E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/25/2012 TAGS: PREL PGOV HU SUBJECT: DEMARCHE TO SUPPORT UN KOSOVO PROPOSALS REF: SECSTATE 37835 Classified By: P/E COUNSELOR ERIC V. GAUDIOSI; REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D) ¶1. (C) Ambassador Foley delivered reftel demarche in a meeting with MFA State Secretary Ivan Udvardi March 26 (other issues septel). ¶2. (C) Udvardi expressed Hungary's recognition that "monitored independence" "along the lines of the Ahtisaari plan" is the likely outcome of the current process.Udvardi reiterated the GoH's strong support for our commitment to Serbia's future within the Euro-Atlantic community, noting Budapest's efforts with Germany, France, and Greece to press for a strong EU statement on Serbia timed to coincide with a UNSC decision on Kosovo status. He emphasized that Serbian President Tadic "needs this and has asked for it." ¶3. (C) Udvardi commented that although there have been no bilateral consultations with Russia on Kosovo, the Hungarian embassy in Moscow is reporting "rumors" that Russia will call for a new negotiating process under a new international envoy. Although he believes "Moscow will ultimately defend its own interests and not Belgrade's," he believes Russia will attempt to exact a price for its cooperation. FOLEY