A/S FRIED DISCUSSES KOSOVO WITH GOM

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PODGORICA 000240 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL MW SR SUBJECT: A/S FRIED DISCUSSES KOSOVO WITH GOM REF: PODGORICA 227 PODGORICA 00000240 001.3 OF 002 SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED - PLEASE HANDLE ACCORDINGLY ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY AND COMMENT: MONTENEGRIN PRESIDENT VUJANOVIC AND FOREIGN MINISTER ROCEN, MEETING SEPARATELY WITH VISITING EUR A/S DANIEL FRIED JULY 9, REITERATED THE GOM POSITION ON KOSOVO: MONTENEGRO SEEKS A BROADLY SUPPORTED INTERNATIONAL SOLUTION IN THE UNSC FOR KOSOVO, AND WILL NOT RECOGNIZE KOSOVO SEPARATELY. FM ADDED THAT RUSSIAN PRESIDENT PUTIN, MEETING WITH THE GOM IN ZAGREB JUNE 26, SAID RUSSIA "WILL NOT OUT-SERB THE SERBS" OVER KOSOVO. FRIED EXPRESSED UNDERSTANDING FOR THE GOM POSITION, OUTLINED THE USG APPROACH, AND SAID BELGRADE WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO BLOCK A SOLUTION, NOR MAKE THE U.S. AN ENEMY OF SERBIA. GIVEN INTERNAL ETHNIC ISSUES AND THEIR POSITION AS NEIGHBOR TO BOTH PROTAGONISTS, THE GOM REMAINS DETERMINED NOT TO TAKE A VISIBLE ROLE IN THE KOSOVO DEBATE. OTHER ISSUES DISCUSSED REPORTED SEPTEL. THIS CABLE WAS NOT CLEARED BY A/S FRIED. END SUMMARY AND COMMENT. MEETING WITH FM ROCEN -------------- ¶2. (SBU) MONTENEGRIN FOREIGN MINISTER MILAN ROCEN TOLD EUR A/S DANIEL FRIED ON JULY 9 THAT A "SUSTAINABLE SOLUTION" MUST BE FOUND FOR KOSOVO, SUPPORTED BY THE ENTIRE EU WITHOUT EXCEPTION. HE CAUTIONED THAT SERBIA WOULD INTRODUCE A PROPOSAL FOR THE PARTITION OF KOSOVO, OR A SERBIA OF "ONE COUNTRY, TWO SYSTEMS" -- THAT WOULD GIVE KOSOVO A HIGH LEVEL OF AUTONOMY, STOPPING SHORT OF UN MEMBERSHIP. THE FM STATED THAT MONTENEGRO "CAN'T RECOGNIZE KOSOVO UNILATERALLY," ADDING THAT THE GOM WILL EXPLAIN ITS POSITION TO THE GOS, AS IT ATTEMPTS TO CONTINUE GOOD RELATIONS WITH BOTH SERBIA AND KOSOVO. ROCEN OFFERED THAT RUSSIAN PRESIDENT PUTIN, MEETING WITH THE GOM IN ZAGREB JUNE 26, SAID RUSSIA "WILL NOT OUT-SERB THE SERBS" OVER KOSOVO. HE REPORTED THAT RUSSIA ASKED BELGRADE TO STATE WHAT THEY WANT, SO THAT RUSSIA CAN SUPPORT THEM, THEN SHRUGGED, SEEMINGLY INDICATING THAT THE RUSSIAN QUERY HAD REMAINED WITHOUT A CLEAR ANSWER. ¶3. (SBU) FRIED RESPONDED THAT THE USG UNDERSTANDS THE GOM POSITION ON KOSOVO, EXPLAINING THAT THE USG WILL SOON OFFER ANOTHER UNSC RESOLUTION ON KOSOVO TO RUSSIA. FRIED STRESSED THAT WITH U.S. TROOPS IN KOSOVO, IT WAS IMPERATIVE THAT PROGRESS BE MADE ON THE ISSUE. MEETING WITH PRESIDENT VUJANOVIC -------------- ¶4. (SBU) SPEAKING OF KOSOVO AND ITS EFFECT ON MONTENEGRO, PRESIDENT VUJANOVIC REMINDED FRIED THAT DURING THEIR MAY 1 MEETING IN WASHINGTON, VUJANOVIC HAD STRESSED THE IMPORTANCE TO MONTENEGRO OF INTERNAL STABILITY. FRIED ASSURED VUJANOVIC THAT THE USG WOULD NOT PRESSURE THE GOM ON KOSOVO, OUTLINING THE CURRENT USG APPROACH IN THE UNSC, INCLUDING ANTICIPATION OF THE INTRODUCTION OF A NEW RESOLUTION THE WEEK OF JULY 9 FRIED NOTED HIS HOPE THAT RUSSIA WILL LET THE NEW RESOLUTION BE ADOPTED, STRESSING THAT PRESIDENT BUSH MEANT IT WHEN HE SAID KOSOVO WILL BE INDEPENDENT. ¶5. (SBU) VUJANOVIC SAID THE GOM HAD THREE MAIN POINTS ON KOSOVO: 1) KOSOVO IS AN INTERNATIONAL PROBLEM THAT REQUIRES AN INTERNATIONAL SOLUTION; 2) THEREFORE, THE UNSC MUST ADDRESS THE SITUATION, AND DEVISE A SOLUTION SUPPORTED BY THE ENTIRE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY; B T #0240 N -- END OF ERRORED MESSAGE -- PODGORICA 00000240 002.3 OF 002 3) THE EFFORT WILL REQUIRE PATIENCE, TO WORK OUT A SOLUTION THAT IS "MUTUALLY ACCEPTABLE." ¶5. (SBU) FRIED RESPONDED THAT REPRESENTATIVES OF THE SERBIAN COMMUNITIES NEEDED TO ENGAGE, AND TO UNDERSTAND THE GUARANTEES FOR THEM AND THE CHURCHES UNDER THE AHTISAARI PLAN. NATO WAS THERE TO PROTECT, ESPECIALLY TO PROTECT SERBS FROM EXTREMISTS. HE ADDED THAT EVEN IF BELGRADE REJECTS EVERYTHING, IT WAS NECESSARY TO PRESS ON TO A RESOLUTION IN KOSOVO. THE USG WOULD NOT HOWEVER ALLOW "SILLY" RHETORIC FROM SERBIAN PM KOSTUNICA TO MAKE THE U.S. THE ENEMY OF SERBIA. RELATIONS WITH SERBIA -------------- ¶6. (SBU) FM ROCEN COMMENTED FURTHER ON MONTENEGRO'S RELATIONS WITH SERBIA, NOTING THAT SERBIAN FM VUK JEREMIC HAD VISITED PODGORICA ON JULY 6. ROCEN SAID MONTENEGRO MUST HAVE THE BEST POSSIBLE RELATIONS WITH SERBIA, NOTING EXTENSIVE ECONOMIC, CULTURAL AND FAMILY TIES BETWEEN THE STATES. AS THE MAJOR COUNTRY IN THE REGION, SERBIA SHOULD "TAKE ITS PLACE ON THE EUROPEAN TRAIN." BARNES B T #0240 N -- END OF ERRORED MESSAGE --